Continuing my conversions of paladin with different alignments talked about in Dragon Magazine #310's article, Champions of the Divine by James Jacobs, presented here is The Avenger.
The avenger is a guardian of the downtrodden and a champion of the victims of the world. She wanders from town to town in a constant search of wrongs to right and oppressive dictators and rulers to otherthrow. Yet despite the avenger’s obsession with vengeance and punishment of those who do evil to others, she is not a cruel or sadistic person. She aims to temper her acts of vengeance so that the punishment fits the crime. Execution is a punishment of the last resort, reserved only for the truly evil and despicable.
Avengers must be chaotic good. They usually serve deities that value personal freedom or vengeance. Avengers sometimes form groups with other avengers or like-minded loose-knit organizations only for brief missions. They prefer to keep their faith personal and generally looks down on organized religious worship. To an avenger, a deity is best served by action than by lip service.
The avenger’s class skills are Bluff (Cha), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Handle Animal (Cha), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (local) (Int), Knowledge (religion) (Int), Ride (Dex), Sense Motive (Wis), Stealth (Dex), and Spellcraft (Int).
Skill Ranks per Level: 2 + Int modifier.
The avenger has all the standard paladin class features, except as noted below.
Aura of Bravery (Su)
At 3rd level, an avenger is immune to fear (magical or otherwise). Each ally within 10 feet of her gains a +4 morale bonus on saving throws against fear effects. This ability functions only while the avenger is conscious, not if she is unconscious or dead.
This ability replaces Aura of Courage.
Spells
Beginning at 4th level, an avenger gains the ability to cast a small number of divine spells which are drawn from the avenger spell list. An avenger must choose and prepare her spells in advance.
To prepare or cast a spell, an avenger must have a Charisma score equal to at least 10 + the spell level. The Difficulty Class for a saving throw against an avenger’s spell is 10 + the spell level + the avenger’s Charisma modifier.
Like other spellcasters, an venger can cast only a certain number of spells of each spell level per day. Her base daily spell allotment is given on Table: Paladin. In addition, she receives bonus spells per day if she has a high Charisma score (see Table: Ability Modifiers and Bonus Spells). When Table: Paladin indicates that the 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.
An avenger must spend 1 hour each day in quiet prayer and meditation to regain her daily allotment of spells. An avenger may prepare and cast any spell on the avenger 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, an an avenger has no caster level. At 4th level and higher, her caster level is equal to her paladin level – 3.
Divine Bond (Sp)
Upon reaching 5th level, an an avenger forms a divine bond with her god. This bond can take one of two forms. Once the form is chosen, it cannot be changed.
The first type of bond allows the avenger to enhance her weapon as a standard action by calling upon the aid of a azata spirit for 1 minute per avenger level. When called, the spirit causes the weapon to shed light as a torch. At 5th level, this spirit grants the weapon a +1 enhancement bonus. For every three levels beyond 5th, the weapon gains another +1 enhancement bonus, to a maximum of +6 at 20th level. These bonuses can be added to the weapon, stacking with existing weapon bonuses to a maximum of +5, or they can be used to add any of the following weapon properties: anarchic, brilliant energy, defending, disruption, flaming, flaming burst, holy, keen, merciful, and speed. Adding these properties consumes an amount of bonus equal to the property’s cost (see Table: Melee Weapon Special Abilities). These bonuses are added to any properties the weapon already has, but duplicate abilities do not stack. If the weapon is not magical, at least a +1 enhancement bonus must be added before any other properties can be added. The bonus and properties granted by the spirit are determined when the spirit is called and cannot be changed until the spirit is called again. The azata spirit imparts no bonuses if the weapon is held by anyone other than the avenger but resumes giving bonuses if returned to the avenger. These bonuses apply to only one end of a double weapon. An avenger 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 bonded with a azata spirit is destroyed, the avenger loses the use of this ability for 30 days, or until she gains a level, whichever comes first. During this 30-day period, the avenger takes a –1 penalty on attack and weapon damage rolls.
The second type of bond allows an avenger to gain the service of an unusually intelligent, strong, and loyal steed to serve her in her crusade against evil. This mount is usually a heavy horse (for a Medium avenger) or a pony (for a Small avenger), although more exotic mounts, such as a boar, camel, or dog are also suitable. This mount functions as a druid’s animal companion, using the avenger’s level as her effective druid level. Bonded mounts have an Intelligence of at least 6.
Once per day, as a full-round action, an avenger may magically call her mount to her side. This ability is the equivalent of a spell of a level equal to one-third the paladin’s level. The mount immediately appears adjacent to the avenger. An avenger can use this ability once per day at 5th level, and one additional time per day for every 4 levels thereafter, for a total of four times per day at 17th level.
At 11th level, the mount gains the celestial creature simple template and becomes a magical beast for the purposes of determining which spells affect it.
At 15th level, an avenger’s mount gains spell resistance equal to the paladin’s level + 11.
Should the avenger’s mount die, the avenger may not summon another mount for 30 days or until she gains an avenger level, whichever comes first. During this 30-day period, the avenger takes a –1 penalty on attack and weapon damage rolls.
This ability substitutes the paladin’s Divine Bond.
Aura of Vengeance (Su)
At 11th level, an avenger can expend two uses of her smite evil ability to grant the ability to smite evil to all allies within 10 feet, using her bonuses. Allies must use this smite evil ability by the start of the avenger’s next turn and the bonuses last for 1 minute. Using this ability is a free action. Evil creatures gain no benefit from this ability.
This ability replaces Aura of Justice.
Aura of Virtue (Su)
At 17th level, an avenger gains DR 5/evil and immunity to compulsion spells and spell-like abilities. Each ally within 10 feet of her gains a +4 morale bonus on saving throws against compulsion effects.
This ability functions only while the avenger is conscious, not if she is unconscious or dead.
This ability replaces Aura of Righteousness.
An avenger must be of chaotic good alignment and loses all class features except proficiencies if she ever willingly commits an evil act.
While the avenger’s life is based around achieving vengeance and retribution for the oppressed and downtrodden, she must temper this vengeance appropriately. Killing should be the last resort of an avenger when an more appropriate and less destructive form of vengeance will do, and even then, slaying an oppressor should be reserved only for the most evil villains.
Associates: While she may adventure with good or neutral allies, an avenger avoids working with evil characters or with anyone who consistently offends her moral code. Under exceptional circumstances, an avenger can ally with evil associates, but only to defeat what she believes to be a greater evil. An avenger should seek an atonement spell periodically during such an unusual alliance, and should end the alliance immediately should she feel it is doing more harm than good. An avenger may accept only henchmen, followers, or cohorts who are chaotic good.
A paladin who ceases to be lawful good, who willfully commits an evil act, or who violates the code of conduct loses all avenger spells and class features (including the service of the avenger’s mount, but not weapon, armor, and shield proficiencies). She may not progress any further in levels as an avenger. She regains her abilities and advancement potential if she atones for her violations (see atonement), as appropriate.
Avengers choose their spells from the following list:
1st Level: bless, bless water, bless weapon, disguise self, cure light wounds, detect poison, divine favor, endure elements, lesser restoration, magic stone, magic weapon, mending, protection from evil, protection from law, read magic, shield of faith.
2nd Level: align weapon, alter self, cat’s grace, cure moderate wounds, eagle’s splendor, fox’s cunning, invisibility, make whole, misdirection, resist energy, shield other, undetectable alignment.
3rd Level: cure serious wounds, dispel magic, flame arrow, greater magic weapon, magic vestment, magic circle against evil, magic circle against law, nondetection, obscure object.
4th Level: cure critical wounds, detect scrying, dispel law, dispel evil, freedom of movement, greater invisibility, holy sword, neutralize poison, restoration, stone shape.