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Philosophical differences between Paladins of various gods...
bioshrike
Member, NW M9 Playtest Posts: 4,729 Arc User
With the Oathbound Paladin coming in a few weeks, I was hoping you folks could help me build a picture surrounding how Paladins following the various deities we can choose from, would approach their given task(s)...
For instance, I would perceive a Paladin of Tempus would focus more on their martial skills than their divine powers, (or perhaps making more use of those divine gifts that bolster their martial abilities). Perhaps such a Paladin would be called to help even the odds in an "unfair" battle - one where a particular side in the conflict is basically hopelessly outmatched, but continue to fight on bravely and honorably, regardless.
I could see a Paladin of Tymora being more of a wandering "righter of wrongs" - someone who seemingly drifts around by their intuition and feelings/impressions they get, and aids those that they encounter, by chance. Perhaps such a warrior aids those he or she encounters in more subtle ways - a little boost here or protective ward there.
A Paladin of Kelemvor my be driven to eradicate the undead, but may also be compelled to counsel those who are dying or those who have lost someone dear to them. They may struggle with the having to balance a desire to bring their god's wrath upon those that seek to pervert the natural cycle of life and death, with a similar mandate to show compassion and assistance to those having to cope with that very same cycle.
A Paladin of Torm may have a difficult time simply getting around, as they struggle with the laws of civilization, (be they good or bad), and his or her god's imposition of a more general and overarching sense of right and wrong.
So what are your thoughts? How would you interpret each god would choose and/or instruct their Paladins?
Thanks!
For instance, I would perceive a Paladin of Tempus would focus more on their martial skills than their divine powers, (or perhaps making more use of those divine gifts that bolster their martial abilities). Perhaps such a Paladin would be called to help even the odds in an "unfair" battle - one where a particular side in the conflict is basically hopelessly outmatched, but continue to fight on bravely and honorably, regardless.
I could see a Paladin of Tymora being more of a wandering "righter of wrongs" - someone who seemingly drifts around by their intuition and feelings/impressions they get, and aids those that they encounter, by chance. Perhaps such a warrior aids those he or she encounters in more subtle ways - a little boost here or protective ward there.
A Paladin of Kelemvor my be driven to eradicate the undead, but may also be compelled to counsel those who are dying or those who have lost someone dear to them. They may struggle with the having to balance a desire to bring their god's wrath upon those that seek to pervert the natural cycle of life and death, with a similar mandate to show compassion and assistance to those having to cope with that very same cycle.
A Paladin of Torm may have a difficult time simply getting around, as they struggle with the laws of civilization, (be they good or bad), and his or her god's imposition of a more general and overarching sense of right and wrong.
So what are your thoughts? How would you interpret each god would choose and/or instruct their Paladins?
Thanks!
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"Is it better to be feared or respected? I say, is it too much to ask for both?" -Tony Stark
Official NW_Legit_Community Forums
"Is it better to be feared or respected? I say, is it too much to ask for both?" -Tony Stark
Official NW_Legit_Community Forums
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Nothing particularly helpful or competent.
"Is it better to be feared or respected? I say, is it too much to ask for both?" -Tony Stark
Official NW_Legit_Community Forums
Amaunator: The LG deity symbolizes both timelessness and new beginnings. His paladins could be fallen warriors in search of redemption as well as very conservative, very civilized captains. The undead bring out their very focused ire.
Chauntea: The Mother's paladins confront insults to life and nature with necessary force. They always seek peaceful solutions but are prepared to meet violence with stern resolve. Elves of a more rustic nature often heed this calling.
Corellon: Beings of wholly or partially elven ancestry who champion that ancestry and its virtues might become paladins of Corellon. Most do so recognizing this as a holy duty as custodians of Toril, rather than out of some misplaced sense of racial superiority.
Kelemvor: Heads shaved bald to deny that zombie the advantage of a fistful of hair, paladins of the Last Judge mete out final death to all things undead and all those who create and manipulate them. Look no further for a truly hardcore paladin concept.
Moradin: Let's see...CON as the primary attribute? Heavy armor and shields? Let's face it: Dwarves are natural paladins, and Moradin's finest are the first and last line of defense between the Maker's people and the thousand natural shocks bent on their destruction. For many of the same reasons listed above for Corellon, dwarven paladins of Moradin make elegant sense.
Oghma: As not just the patron of knowledge, but the arbiter of what can and should be known, Oghma employs paladins to expunge forbidden knowledge from the world and exterminate those who seek to dig too deeply and call up that which they cannot put down.
Selune: Always ready to oppose the dark hopelessness of her sister Shar, the Moonmaiden is served by paladins who serve up hope to the oppressed and vengeance in their name. Selune's paladins would certainly try to find peaceful solutions to situations, and they would naturally seek to unify disparate interests in the name of the greater good...but their anger when stirred by evil is awesome.
Silvanus: The paladins of the Tree-father are tireless in their pursuit of all who despoil Nature, and they can be as vicious and uncaring as the north wind in that pursuit.
Sune: Love and beauty are worth defending, perhaps more than aught else...they are so fragile, so easily shattered by the evil and the uncaring. Paladins of Sune square off against those who cannot see the worth of their goddess's passions...and they throw the BEST parties!
Tempus: To be a paladin of Tempus is to be both His sword and His shield, the living embodiment of war as the proving ground of civilizations. You are the soldier's soldier, the master of strategy and tactics, the answer to the riddle of steel. Disciplined and yet capable of great savagery, you are feared by and yet sought after by the powerful to defend their causes.
Torm: Embodying the Loyal Fury, paladins of Torm are guardians and judges, wandering the wild lands in search of civilization's enemies and stalking the great cities ferreting out hidden conspiracies against lawful rule. Whether driven by a personal code or adherence to the ancient laws of the state of their birth, Tormite paladins are often the image that forms in the minds of the public when the word "paladin" is mentioned.
Tymora: One does not necessarily think of paladins as whimsical types...but paladins of Tymora, the Lady of Luck, are often just that. Whinging along on serendipitous winds, these champions of happiness and good fortune strike out against oppressive and abusive forces both inside and outside of civilization.
My alts include one of every class except HR, which for some reason never appealed to me, and of course I will be starting a paladin the moment I can do so. Given the complex motivations and religious fervor that accompanies the paladin concept, it's only fitting that there should be a rich multidimensional backstory for my paladin. I'm still not sure what direction in which I'm going to go: the dwarf angle appeals to me, based mostly on a D&D 4.0 avenger character I played on and off for a few years...but there's another idea, one so bizarre and possibly offensive to others' sensibilities that I almost feel I have to go with it.
Profanity filters are there for a reason, people.
"Is it better to be feared or respected? I say, is it too much to ask for both?" -Tony Stark
Official NW_Legit_Community Forums
2- It is possible that primordial, Abyssal, or Far Realms powers could grant paladin-like status to obsessed followers, but the path of the warlock (particularly as presented in the new D&D 5.0) is more likely. I would assume that granting spells and abilities based on faith is mostly the realm of the gods, of Astral beings rather than of powers of less lofty origins. A warlock siphons bits of power from his or her patron, who may not even be aware of the connection...but a paladin is the weapon in the hands of a deity, fundamentally connected to that deity's will and wishes.
3- While I'm sure that Neverwinter MMO will not have a mechanic for paladins who break faith with their deities, such a tragedy has been fuel for ten thousand heroic tales since the Arthurian legends were first codified.
Do the actual powers granted to paladins differ at all, depending upon which god they follow?
Do paladins ever switch allegiance or posses allegiance to more than one god?
Do the gods ever approach mortals about becoming a paladin for them, or is it strictly mortals proving themselves worthy, and thus being rewarded?
Thanks again for all the input!
"Is it better to be feared or respected? I say, is it too much to ask for both?" -Tony Stark
Official NW_Legit_Community Forums
If we assume that gods represent various concepts, philosophies, or spheres of influence, does that mean that their concerns and areas of expertise vanish if they die? Results vary: Mystra's death greatly weakened her Chosen and stripped her clerics and many users of the Art of their powers, but that might have had more to do with the Spellplague than with her death. Helm still has many followers on Toril even though his death was a well-known tragedy. While most clerics rely on prayers to a specific deity for their powers, there are some who worship concepts rather than beings. I see the divine power source as more a function of the faith of the person wielding the power and less a function of the authority granting said power, so I could certainly justify playing, let's just say, a paladin of poetry whose mortal enemies speak in nothing but hashtags and text jargon...
As far as granted powers go, most paladins have similar, but not identical, suites of options. A paladin of Chauntea might prefer powers that heal allies at the expense of dps, while a paladin of Tempus might be all about the damage, y'all. Each power has a use in different situations, so it's unlikely that a deity would frown upon the use of one or another. The more important point would seem to be the way in which the paladin interprets the will of h/h deity and acts upon that interpretation.
As far as choosing or being chosen...let me tell you a story. Fairly early in my recent 2-year 4.0 campaign, the guy playing Krunk the bugbear barbarian expressed an interest in breaking with the stereotype and switching his class. As everyone was low-level, I was ready to allow it. The party had just done a small favor for a disgraced former War Wizard of Cormyr who expressed his thanks by bringing the group to Suzail, the capitol city.
Bugbears do not generally walk around the streets of the capitol of Cormyr, unless they are in chains being readied for transportation to the prison city of Wheloon or the galleys. Krunk was proud, but not stupid, and he cleaned himself up nicely for the occasion. With the help of the party's bard, the perfect hype-man, Krunk became at first a curiosity, and then an outright sensation on the social circuit. All the crown-kissers and fancy-nose parties simply had to have Krunk at their little soirees.
All during this, the player was considering his class-change options. When a group of Purple Dragon Knight officers struck up a conversation with him at a party and found out he too was a worshiper of Tempus...roll dice, apply modifiers, add a few helpful comments from the bard...and suddenly they're brothers-in-arms. Drinks are downed, tables are cleared and pushed together so that diagrams in which sherry glasses are the cavalry and the gold-chased silver platter is the black dragon can be arranged. For days this goes on, with Krunk (and his player) learning more and more about the Tempuran faith and the bonds that all soldiers share regardless of politics or race.
In the end, the bard found the rest of the characters and rushed them, not to some temple or holy place, but to a Purple Dragon Knights armorsmithy for Krunk's fitting and investiture as a paladin of Tempus. It was one of the most beautiful things I've ever DM'd.
So, in answer to your final concern: My father used to say that he chased after my mom until she caught him. The warrior, starting perhaps from a very great distance, a dissolute life without meaning, slowly comes to a closer understanding of the will of the divine, and when they are ready to commit, they find the divine has been ready for them all along.