Paladins take their adventures seriously, and even a mundane mission is, in the heart of the paladin, a personal test - an opportunity to demonstrate bravery, to learn tactics, and to do good in the world. Divine power protects these warriors of virtue, warding off harm, protecting them from disease, healing them and their allies, and guarding against fear. Divine power also guides their sword arms, making them among the most effective warriors against undead and evil outsiders. Many of the paladin's special abilities also benefit from a high Charisma score.
Not all paladins are knightly in the romantic sense of the word. However, many fit into that archetype, riding into battle atop a steed in heavy platemail with sword and shield at the ready. All of them, however, tend to have a series of oaths and codes that they rigidly follow in order to separate out the world into right and wrong and to guide them through the morass of what may seem like grey morality. To those who don't understand them, the forces of Good and Evil are tangible powers in the Realms, and the Paladin will always strive to stand against Evil in all its forms.
Paladins who break their oaths or move against their deity's dogma run the risk of Falling. This also happens if they stray from their Lawful Good alignment. Fallen paladins lose any access to their divine spells, spell-like abilities, and supernatural abilities until they Atone to their deity or petition a new deity to take them under their protection. This may be done through intensive introspective roleplay and DM-run plots or events. Not all paladins follow the same oaths, but they often follow a similar theme. Some examples of Paladin oaths:
I shall speak no falsehood, nor bear false witness. I shall speak only truth in whole and never in parts, for my own benefit or others.
I shall stand against the darkness, no matter my fears, and defend the weak and innocent from what lurks within.
No evil shall escape my gaze, large or small. I shall not keep quiet when Evil is near, and I shall not ever surrender to the temptations it offers.
Rewards and coin are for others. I shall garb myself in the vestments of my faith, the armor of my station, and keep nothing but what is necessary to defend my charges. Anything offered to me shall go to the church, the poor, and those deserving.
In dark or storm or hellfire's heat, in faith to my god I shall keep, My duty to justice I shall mete, and in my duties never sleep. I stand against the night, ever-ready to evil fight - May my arm remain ever strong, to guard through the days long. Blessed be those by my side, with whom I'll forever ride.
Multiclassing Restrictions
At least half of your class levels at all times must be Paladin or some multiclass combination of Paladin / Divine Champion / Hospitaler / Silverstar / Doomguide.
| Lvl | BAB | Saves | Feats | HP | Base spells per day | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fort | Ref | Will | 0 | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | |||||
| 1st | +1 | +2 | +0 | +0 | Divine Health, Lay on Hands | 10 | - | - | - | - | - | |
| 2nd | +2 | +3 | +0 | +0 | Aura of Courage, Smite Evil 2/day | 20 | - | - | - | - | - | |
| 3rd | +3 | +3 | +1 | +1 | Remove Disease, Turn Undead, Divine Grace | 30 | - | - | - | - | - | |
| 4th | +4 | +4 | +1 | +1 | 40 | 1 | 0 | - | - | - | ||
| 5th | +5 | +4 | +1 | +1 | Summon Mount | 50 | 2 | 0 | - | - | - | |
| 6th | +6/+1 | +5 | +2 | +2 | 60 | 2 | 1 | - | - | - | ||
| 7th | +7/+2 | +5 | +2 | +2 | 70 | 2 | 1 | - | - | - | ||
| 8th | +8/+3 | +6 | +2 | +2 | 80 | 2 | 1 | 0 | - | - | ||
| 9th | +9/+4 | +6 | +3 | +3 | 90 | 2 | 1 | 0 | - | - | ||
| 10th | +10/+5 | +7 | +3 | +3 | Extra Smiting | 100 | 2 | 1 | 1 | - | - | |
| 11th | +11/+6/+1 | +7 | +3 | +3 | Bonus Feat | 110 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | - | |
| 12th | +12/+7/+2 | +8 | +4 | +4 | 120 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | - | ||
| 13th | +13/+8/+3 | +8 | +4 | +4 | 130 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | - | ||
| 14th | +14/+9/+4 | +9 | +4 | +4 | 140 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | ||
| 15th | +15/+10/+5 | +9 | +5 | +5 | 150 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | ||
| 16th | +16/+11/+6/+1 | +10 | +5 | +5 | 160 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | ||
| 17th | +17/+12/+7/+2 | +10 | +5 | +5 | 170 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | ||
| 18th | +18/+13/+8/+3 | +11 | +6 | +6 | 180 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 1 | ||
| 19th | +19/+14/+9/+4 | +11 | +6 | +6 | Bonus Feat | 190 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | |
| 20th | +20/+15/+10/+5 | +12 | +6 | +6 | 200 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 |
Divine Grace: The paladin adds her charisma bonus (if positive) to all saving throws.
Divine Health: The paladin is immune to disease, and disease based damage.
Lay on Hands: With this feat, characters can heal damage equal to 10% of the target's maximum life multiplied by their charisma modifier. When used against undead creatures, it is treated as a touch attack spell that deals divine damage equal to the paladin's level multiplied by their charisma modifier. 10 minutes recharge.
Aura of Courage: A character with this feat is immune to fear.
Smite Evil: This feat allows the character to make a special attack against evil creatures. The character applies their charisma modifier to their attack roll, and their class level (Paladin + Divine Champion if applicable) to the damage delivered. Smite evil may be used two times in a short span. These smite attempts have an individual 6 minute recharge.
Remove Disease: All diseases and disease effects are removed from the target creature.
Turn Undead: With this feat, the paladin can turn or destroy undead creatures. This ability may be activated three times per day, plus the character's charisma modifier. The paladin's level minus two and charisma are used to determine how many undead are turned.
Summon Mount: Summons to the paladin a faithful, magical beast — a warhorse mount.
Extra Smiting: This feat increases the smiting ability to a total of 4 times per day.
Paladin Bonus Feat List: Combat Casting, Divine Might, Divine Shield, Empower Spell, Extend Spell, Extra Turning, Greater Spell Focus, Maximize Spell, Practiced Caster (Paladin), Quicken Spell, Silent Spell, Spell Focus, Still Spell
Bonus feats: The epic paladin gains a bonus feat every three levels after 20th. In other words, at levels 23, 26, and 29.
Epic Paladin Bonus Feats: Armor Skin, Consistent Liturgy, Devastating Critical, Epic Prowess, Epic Reputation, Epic Spell Focus, Epic Toughness, Epic Weapon Focus, Great Smiting, Improved Combat Casting, Overwhelming Critical, Perfect Health, Planar Turning.