Smite evil on other players


Advice


Hey, does anyone know if I can cast Smite evil as a paladin on an Evil-aligned player in our group? She's giving me so much grief and I want to best her in combat to shut her up haha


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By rules as written sure.

Though in my experience PvP is a one way ticket to a bad gaming experience and having the group break up IRL.

If you all know what you are doing and want to tell this story together it could be great but I have seen this situation end badly in the past. Maybe talk with your whole group about what type of story you all want to play together and make sure everyone is on the same page and having fun. Just don't let in game conflict become out of game conflict.


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In general a problem that exists between players is unlikely to be solved with an interaction between characters.

But I don't know whether this other player is trying to create like a "friendly rivalry between allies" or is really just yanking your chain. If it's the latter, just say something out of character.


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This sort of action is likely to result in one of you leaving the group.

Address whatever the issue is outside of the game and attempt to resolve it there. Attempting to resolve it via proxy of the game will only create hurt feelings.

Even if it's about the other behavior of the other person's character in game, it's best to address it out of character and plan out how you want your characters to handle it in game.

If the other player character is a real "evil bastard" type then you could discuss your character attempting to strike them down in character during the game session to teach them a lesson, but that's not something you should pursue without talking to the other person first. And something you should make sure to discuss is that whatever plan you make, you should both be willing to accept the consequence of the outcome. Up to and including (at least in this case) the death of your character or removal from the party requiring you the player to play as a new character. If you both aren't willing to accept the consequences, you need to find a way to resolve the issue that you can both accept.


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To answer the thread title, don't smite players. It usually leads to you being arrested and incarcerated for assault and battery. Although, most minimum security prisons might let you play Pathfinder all day long, so maybe it's not all bad.

(Smite CHARACTERS, not PLAYERS!)

(Are you sure the PLAYER is evil-aligned? If so, you might be in danger spending time with evil people. I suggest find a group of non-evil PLAYERS; it's much safer!)

To answer your question, work it out with the PLAYER. let that player know that the way they're playing their character is irritating you and ask if there is a way you two PLAYERS can compromise on play styles to make this problem go away.

Have that conversation at the table but out of character. Two players solving a problem so that the game experience for you two and for everybody else can be better.

During that conversation, you might mention that you think it could be fun if your CHARACTER beats the crap out of their CHARACTER because, hey, paladins often do that to evil CHARACTERS, even the ones that they are supposed to be adventuring with. If both PLAYERS agree that having their CHARACTERS fight it out would be a fun thing to do, then go for it.

Finally, why are you playing a paladin in a group where another PLAYER has an evil-aligned CHARACTER? This always leads to problems. Every time. Your paladin shouldn't tolerate evil behavior, even from adventuring companions and that evil character shouldn't tolerate constantly being policed and harassed by a paladin all day, every day. They would hate each other and wouldn't likely adventure together very well or very long.

Frankly, as a PLAYER, I cannot role-play a paladin CHARACTER in a way that satisfies my understanding of the class and my roleplaying preferences for the class while having him willing adventure with evil CHARACTERS and somehow ignore who they are and what they do. My paladin would leave that group or (after a thorough discussion with the other PLAYERS involved) take in-character actions to bring those evildoers to justice.

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Why is your paladin willingly traveling with a person whom they know to be evil because they've watched them repeatedly commit evil actions (I assume that's happened) and confirmed it by using your Detect Evil ability (I assume you've done that, too)? You are in violation of code, and your deity's patience is wearing thin waiting for you to do something.

You are a paladin, a class that wears itself on the sleeve. This is your roleplay moment. At the next clearly evil action undertaken by the other PC, intercede to prevent it, at first verbally. E.g., a simple "I will not allow this to happen that way...."

Quote:
Have that conversation at the table but out of character. Two players solving a problem so that the game experience for you two and for everybody else can be better.

Eh, ...that can break immersion, and that's often just as bad. --There's no reason it can't be the next resort after in-character attempts have failed. I.e., if L'il Miss Evil throws down after the above, then go out-of-character before committing to Battle Royale.

(And the GM should be involved, here, too. I mean, what's he been doing? I get the impression that alignments haven't been shifting, deities haven't been doing dream lectures, warrants-for-arrest haven't been nailed to every tree in the kingdom, etc. If there's an intractable pushover GM problem or a favoritism problem, it's better to suss it out quickly.)


Just do a 1v1 combat out of the actual story game play if ya'll want to flex on each other or to just have a fun pvp combat experience. I do this with my one buddy all the time, and it can be a great way to test your character's mettle against something you typically haven't fought yet.

Me and my friend just love to talk trash on each other's characters, but it's all in good fun.

He thought his lvl 12 fighter stood a chance against my lvl 12 eldritch knight..... because he's a fool.

Combat lasted 4 turns. Heatstroke, Create Pit, Emergency Force Sphere, Battering Blast, Battering Blast.... dead fighter.

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