Class: Paladin

Paladins

Players wishing to become a Paladin will be required to be part of specific religious orders, so a potential Paladin should review the information under priests. Examples of religious orders that may have paladins are the Swords of Tyr, and the Knights of the Horn. A paladin's detect evil ability will function with more accuracy than a mage or priest spell. In "No Alignment" campaigns, this manifests as the ability to detect the alignment of creatures such as undead, creatures from another plane, or otherwise something that should have a very powerful or obvious alignment.

CODE OF CHIVALRY

• Proficiency
• Courage
• Honesty
• Integrity
• Faith
• Generosity
• Respect
• Sincerity

Quoted from the Heir of Novron by Michael J. Sullivan (emphasis with bold and capital letter added).

"The knightly virtues derive themselves from a standard of ethics passed down from the original empire. There are eight such virtues.

The first is Proficiency. It is the easiest to achieve, as it merely means skill at arms and can be obtained through practice and observation...

Next is Courage, one of the most important virtues. Courage, however, is not so cheaply bought as by charging against overwhelming odds. It can take many forms. For instance, the bravery to choose life over death, especially if that means living with loss. Or the will to risk all for a cause too noble to let perish. Courage can even be found in surrender - if doing so will mean the survival of something to valuable to lose.

The third virtue of a knight is Honesty. To possess honor, a man must first strive to be honest to men, to women, to children, to great and to small, to the good and to the villainous, but mostly to himself. A knight does not make excuses...

Integrity is a virtue that comprises both loyalty and honor. Possessing integrity often means adhering to a pledge or principle. Loyalty to a sovereign is the mark of a goodly knight. However, integrity can also mean defending those in need who cannot help themselves. A knight should always work for the good of the king third, the betterment of the kingdom second, but always place what is right first...

The next virtue - Faith. Faith is no simply a belief in the tenets of the church but a belief in virtue itself. A knight does not find fault. A knight believes in the good of all men, including himself. He trusts in his belief. A knight is confident in the word of others, in the merits of his lord, the worth of his commands, and in his own worth...

Generosity is the sixth virtue. A knight should show bounteousness to all, noble and commoner alike. More important than generosity of wares is a generosity of spirit. A knight believes the best of others and always extends the benefit of doubt. A knight does not accuse. He does not assume wrongdoing. Still, a knight grants no benefit to himself and always questions if he is at fault.

Respect is the virtue concerning the good treatment of others. A knight is not thoughtless. He does not harm through recklessness. He seeks not to injure by lazy words or foolishness. A knight does not mimic the bad behavior of others. Instead, he sees it as an opportunity to demonstrate virtue by contrast...

The final virtue is Sincerity, which is elusive at best. Nobility by birthright is clear, but what is in question here is noblesse of heart and cannot be taught or learned. It must be accepted and allowed to grow. This virtue is demonstrated through bearing, not swagger; confidence, not arrogance; kindness, not pity; belief, not patronage; authenticity, not pretension.

These are the virtues that comprise the Code of Chivalry,... the path of goodness and truth to which men of high honor aspire. The reality, however, is often quite different."

Paladin's Code of Conduct (this more basic version is actually the Eradain default)

Paladin's Code of Conduct: Valor, Mercy, Honesty, Piety, and Moderation. Valor- Courage on the battlefield, a Paladin will be at the forefront of any engagement. Mercy- It is unchivalrous to slay or abuse prisoners who have surrendered. Honesty- A paladin's word is his bond, treachery and deceit are the tools of evil. Piety- Reverence for your gods and priests of your faith. Worldly goods shall be donated to the church. Moderation- Valor does not mean poor battle tactics. Mercy does not apply to beings of genuine evil (such as outsiders like demons and devils). Honesty does not preclude stealth. Piety is not lip service.

If tracked numerically by the DM, on a scale of 1 to 10, a Paladin will begin with 6 honor points. A Paladin may gain or loose these points by their personal actions as determined by the DM (a player should consider asking the DM about ways to earn honor). A Paladin with less than 5 honor points may somehow (i.e. has a percent chance to) be called to judgement for their behavior. The source of judgement can take any form: A superior in the paladin's order, visions that come in prayer, during personal trial (e.g. a vision quest), as seen in omens or signs, etc. Paladins with honor points below 3 may be required to perform some type of atonement or lose their paladin-hood. The sacrifice of personal honor that benefit a greater good will never/rarely ever lose honor points for minor transgressions.

Notes from Defenders of the Faith

D&D Accessory, A Guidebook to Clerics and Paladins

Some parties may be leery of you because they would rather keep their options open: lying, cheating, and using all the weapons at their disposal, including poison. You know that these methods breed weakness in those who use them and, like any evil act, create future consequences that are ultimately harmful. Refusing (to use these tactics) doesn't limit you and your allies to frontal assaults in broad daylight, either. You are a trained warrior. You can use clever tactics: Set up an attack from an unexpected direction, lure opponents into unfavorable ground, create flanking opportunities.

Fortunately, you aren't personally obligated to right every wrong, no matter how small. That way lies madness. You don't exist in a vacuum.

Paladins don't associate on a continuing basis with evil characters. Circumstances might force temporary cooperation, but be aware that this is an extremely risky option for you.