| Classes - Monk |
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The compassion to pursue good, the will to uphold law, and the power to defeat evil--these are the three weapons of the paladin. Few have the purity and devotion that it takes to walk the paladin's path, but those few are rewarded with the power to protect, to heal, and to smite. In a land of scheming wizards, unholy priests, bloodthirsty dragons and infernal fiends, the paladin is the final hope that cannot be extinguished.
Adventures: Paladins take their adventures seriously and h have a penchant for referring to them as "quests." Even a mundane mission is, in the heart of the paladin, a personal test--an opportunity to demonstrate bravery, to develop martial skills, to learn tactics, and to find ways to do good. Still, the paladin really comes into her own when leading a mighty campaign against evil, not when merely looting ruins.
Characteristics: Divine power protects the paladin and gives her special powers. It wards off harm, protects her from disease, lets her heal herself, and guards her heart against fear. The paladin can also direct this power to help others, healing their wounds or curing diseases. Finally, the paladin can use this power to destroy evil. Even the least experienced paladin can detect evil, and more experienced paladins can smite evil foes and turn away undead. In addition, this power draws a mighty steed to the paladin and imbues the mount with strength, intelligence, and magical protection.
Alignment: Paladins must be lawful good, and they lose their divine powers if they deviate from that alignment. Additionally, paladins swear to follow a code of conduct that is in line with lawfulness and goodness.
Background: No one ever chooses to be a paladin. Becoming a paladin is answering a call, accepting one's destiny. No one, no matter how diligent, can become a paladin, through practice. The nature is either within one or not, and it is not possible to gain the paladin's nature by any act of will. It is possible to fail to recognize one's own potential, or to deny one's destiny. Some who are called to be paladins deny the call and pursue some other life instead.
Most paladins answer the call and begin training as adolescents. Typically, they become squires or assistants to experienced paladins, train for years, and finally set off on their own to further the causes of good and law. Other paladins, however, find their calling only later in life, after having pursued some other career. All paladins, regardless of background, recognize in each other an eternal bond that transcends culture, race, and even religion. Any two paladins, even from opposite sides of the world consider themselves comrades.
::GAME RULE INFORMATION::
Paladins have the following game statistics:
Abilities: Charisma increases the paladin's healing, self-protective capabilities, and undead turning. Strength is important for a paladin because of its role in combat. A Wisdom score of 14 or higher is required to get access to the most powerful paladin spells, and a score of 11 or higher is required to cast any paladin spell at all.
Detect Evil: At will, the paladin can detect evil as a spell-like ability. This ability duplicates the effects of the spell detect evil.
Divine Grace: A paladin applies her Charisma modifier (if positive) as a bonus to all saving throws.
Lay on Hands: A paladin can heal wounds by touch. Each day she can cure a total number of hit points equal to her Charisma bonus (if any) times her level. The paladin can cure herself. She may choose to divide her curing among multiple recipients, and she doesn't have to use it all at once. Lay on Hands is a spell-like ability whose use is a standard action.
Alternatively, the paladin can use any or all of these points to deal damage to undead creatures. Treat this attack just like a touch spell. The paladin decides how many cure points to use as damage after successfully touching the undead creature.
Divine Health: A paladin is immune to all diseases, including magical diseases such as mummy rot and lycanthrope.
Aura of Courage: Beginning at 2nd level, a paladin is immune to fear (magical or otherwise). Allies within 10 feet of the paladin gain a +4 morale bonus on saving throws against fear effects. Granting the morale bonus to allies is a supernatural ability.
Smite Evil: Once per day, a paladin of 2nd level or higher may attempt to smite evil with one normal melee attack. She adds her Charisma modifier (if positive) to her attack roll and deals 1 extra point of damage per level. If the paladin accidentally smites a creature that is not evil, the smite has no effect but it is still used up for that day. Smite evil is a supernatural ability.
Remove Disease: Beginning at 3rd level, a paladin can remove disease , as a per spell remove disease , once per week. She can use this ability more often as she advances in levels (twice per week at 6th level, three times per week at 9th level, and so fourth). Remove Disease is a spell-like ability for paladins.
Turn Undead: When a paladin reaches 3rd level, she gains the supernatural ability to turn undead. She may use this ability a number of times per day equal to three plus her Charisma modifier. She turns undead as a cleric of two levels lower would.
Extra Turning: As a feat, a paladin may take Extra Turning. This feat allows the paladin to turn undead four more times per day. A paladin can take this feat multiple times, gaining four extra daily turning attempts each time.
Spells: Beginning at 4th level, a paladin gains the ability to cast a small number of divine spells. To cast a spell, the paladin must have a Wisdom score of at least 10 + the spell's level, so a paladin with a Wisdom score of 10 or lower cannot cast these spells. Paladin bonus spells are based on Wisdom, and saving throws against these spells have a Difficulty Class of 10 + the spells level + Wisdom modifier. When the paladin gets 0 spells of a given level, such as 0 1st-level spells at 4th level, the paladin gets only bonus spells. A paladin with out a bonus spell for that level cannot yet cast a spell of that level. A paladin has access to any spell on the list and can freely choose which to prepare, just as a cleric can. A paladin prepares and casts spells as a cleric does (though the paladin cannot use spontaneous casting to substitute a cure spell in place of a prepared spell). Though 3rd level, a paladin has no caster level. Starting at 4th level, a paladin's caster level is one-half her class level.
Special Mount: Upon or after reaching 5th level, a paladin can call an unusually intelligent, strong, and loyal steed to serve her in her crusade against evil. This mount is usually a heavy warhorse or a war pony. Should the paladin's mount die, she may call for another one after a year and a day. The new mount has all the accumulated abilities due a mount of the paladin's level.
Code of Conduct: A paladin must be of lawful good alignment and loses all special class abilities if she ever willing commits an act of evil. Additionally, a paladin's code requires that she respect legitimate authority, act with honor (not lying, not cheating, not using poison, etc.), help those who need help (provided they do not use the help for evil or chaotic ends), and punish those that harm or threaten innocents.
Associates: While she may adventure with characters of any good or neutral alignment, a paladin will never knowingly associate with evil characters. A paladin will not continue an association with someone who consistently offends her moral code. A paladin may only hire henchmen or accept followers who are lawful good.
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