What would an Anti-Paladin be like?

[LoneWolf23]

I know there's already a thread about that, but it's gone a bit off-track for my tastes. Besides, I'm feeling a little narcassistic tonight, so I'm going to start a thread to present my views on the matter.

In order to make an Anti-Paladin, one has first to look at what qualities makes a Paladin what he is. And then, once you've determined what makes a Paladin, simply reverse it and you get it's perfect opposite.

First, the Paladin is a Noble soul, motivated by honor and a desire to help others. A Paladin's opposite would be motivated by selfish desire, such as a lust for desire or a thirst for vengance, and only follow the flimsiest code of honor, and even then preferring the letter of the code to the spirit. So a Paladin's opposite would have Any Evil as an alignment.

A Paladin is a leader by exemple, a charismatic front-line warrior who commands such respect and loyalty that otherwise frightful situations become hopeful again by his side. So the opposite of a Paladin would be a leader who relies on terror and intimidation to command obediance. What Charisma this class possessed would be a fiersome one, a strength of personality based on fear.

Paladins, always on the lookout against Evil, have the ability to Detect Evil, in order to better sense those villains that might otherwise escape his other senses. The opposite of a Paladin, a villain constantly bothered by defenders of Good, would need the ability to Detect Good, to better sense those meddling heroes who might pose him a problem.

Next, a Paladin is an accomplished warrior who fights with honor and strength. The opposite of a Paladin, while an accomplished warrior in it's own right, would fight to win, and would use any trick needed to win a fight: poisonning the blade, stabbing in the back, etc.

The Paladin, at third level, can turn the undead, serving as a living scourge against all things unliving, fighting to protect the innocent from them. A Paladin's opposite would, on the other hand, use the Undead to further his own goals, and develop the power to control them.

Paladins can call upon a Special Mount, a spiritually-inspired faithful steed or other riding beast, to carry him into battle and aid him on the battlefield. A Paladin's opposite, less prone to fighting his enemies on an even footing in battle, would benefit from an Infernally inspired creature to aid him, either as a guardian, as a helper or as a mount.

Finally, Paladins wield Clerical Magic best centered around their duties of fighting for honor and helping the innocent. The Paladin's opposite would wield magic to allow him to win any battles, and to accomplish his goals.

Now, of all the classes currently available, it would seem that the Blackguard already fits all of the above requirements to create an Anti-Paladin. But, you might tell me, it's a Prestige Class, which kind of invalidates it.

But how difficult would it be to take a 10 level Prestige Class and build it up into a full PC class? It already seems to follow the Paladin's BAB and Saving Throw progression tables.

 

[Crothian]

Well, I'd take Paladin class and just reverse the powers. Then alter the spell list slightly turning all the "good" spells to "evil" spells.

 

[demiurge1138]

If you wanted to make it a true anti-paladin, the first thing to do would be to change the alignment restriction to chaotic evil. Switch lay on hands for a harming version. The Cha bous to saves should probably stay. Immunity to disease might become the ability to become a vector; no disease could affect hm, but it could use him to spread to others. The remove disease might become a poison spell-like ability the same number of times/week.

Demiurge out.

 

[hong]

An anti-paladin has the same mass as a paladin, but opposite electrical charge. When an anti-paladin touches a paladin, they mutually annihilate each other, and release gamma rays.

HTH, GTBOA!

 

[Chauzu]

Anti-Paladin = Blackguard?

 

[The_lone_gunman]

No one commented on my post in the other thread, so I figured I would throw it here. It has my version of what an anti-paladin would be like. Hope it helps!




Lets look at the qualities of a paladin:

1) Devotion to Duty
2) Honesty
3) Protect the innocent
4) Not fight "unfairly"
5) Live by a code of Honor
6) Chivilarous
7) Defend the helpless


These are the things that make the paladin what he is. The fact that he must live by these things makes his life difficult. He can't sneak in the back, he has to meet evil on it's own turf. That is why he has more powers and abilities, his god helps him because that is the only way he can survive to do his duty. IMO paladins should be held to an even stricter code than most DM's seem to do and should be even more powerful, but that is another subject.

Anyways, these virtues do not transfer well to evil. They are each diametricly opposed to what an "anti" paladin would be into. An evil guy with a "code of honor"? Does that really make sense? Yes you have honor among thieves and all that, but is it really honor? Evil is about taking the quick road, the easy way out, looking out only for one's self, unconcerned about others. Regardless of which evil you are (Neutral, lawful, or chaotic), these things all fit into it.

The "anti" paladin, in my opinion, should have these qualities:

1) Devotion to oneself over all other things
2) Lying is second nature
3) Exploit the innocent to one's own advantage
4) fight to win, regardless of the cost
5) the only code is the moment, whatever it takes to win
6) contemptous of the weak, use women and others to fulfill beastial desires
7) Exploit the helpless for futher gain.

These qualities are why it makes more sense for it to be a "prestige" class. Paladins are powerfull because they cannot take the shortcuts, they are always in the maul of evil, taking them on blow for blow without a thought for their own safety. They need that extra power from day one, and because their deties are good, they trust in the heart of their champions from day one, until that trust gets twisted.

An evil version, however, has always taken the easy road, and must prove to his dark gods that he is worthy of the power that they normally covet for themselves (like all evil things, that is their nature, to covet their power, not to give it out). Thus it takes more for the evil deities to part with power for their minions. The evil deities make them earn the power first, no trust will happen there.

 

[S'mon]

My anti-Paladins have Paladinlike qualities while serving the forces of Chaotic Evil. As such, they're incredibly rare - think Joan of Arc with Graz'zt as her patron.

 

[S'mon]

Name: V’tal, Chosen One of the King of Demons
Age: 23 in 2736 YE
Height: 6’
Weight: 165 lbs
Hair: Blonde/variable Skin: Tanned Eyes: Blue/variable
Alignment: Chaotic Evil

Level: 2
Classes: Anti-Paladin 2
Hit Points: 19

Strength: 12 (+1)
Dexterity 14 (+2)
Constitution 14 (+2)
Wisdom 12 (+1)
Intelligence 10 (+0)
Charisma 14 (+2)

AC: 18 (+6 armour, +2 DEX)

Armor: +1 Chainmail (includes Helm), radiates Evil & Chaos
Initiative: +6

Fort Save: + 7 Ref Save: + 4 Will Save: + 3

Weapons:
+1 Greatsword ATT: +5 (+1 Weapon Focus, +1 magic, +1 STR, +2 BAB) dam: 2d6+3 (+2 2-h STR, +1 magic), radiates Evil & Chaos
Dagger, boot Att: +3 dam: 1d4+1

Feats:
Improved Initiative (+4)
Weapon Focus (Greatsword)

Skills: Ranks
Ride +6 4
Knowledge (Religion) +4 4
Heal +6 4

Gear: Backpack with waterskin, one week trail rations, bedroll, sack, flint and
steel, lantern - hooded, pouch, black velvet cape with blood-red lining.
Gold: 20gp in pouch.

Level 1 Special Abilities:
Dark Blessing (all saves at +2), detect good (at will, 60’ range), Divine Health (immune to all disease), Poison Use (as blackguard).

Level 2 Special Abilities:
Frightful Presence (1/round, 1st level enemies): see below. All foes 30’r, Will save DC 14 or -2 attack & save for 1d6+2 rounds, 4 times/day.
ANTI-PALADIN

Ambition, Greed, Lust. These are the three main

qualities of the anti-paladin. Few are corrupt or

mad enough to walk the anti-paladin’s path, but

those few are rewarded with the power to fulfil

their twisted desires with unholy power from

dark gods. The anti-paladin is nothing short of a

mortal fiend.



Adventures: Anti-paladins take their

adventures as excellent opportunities to advance

the agenda of their evil god and/or personal

goals to gain power and wealth. They will fight

to the death if backed into a corner with no hope

of escape, but prefer to sacrifice their

companions or take hostages to use as human

shields if that will allow them to flee. An

anti-paladin has a long memory and will plot

terrible vengeance upon those who force him to

abandon an adventure or mission.



Characteristics: Divine power protects the

anti-paladin and gives him special powers. It

wards off harm and engenders an unnatural aura

of despair and menace around the anti-paladin.

Finally, the anti-paladin can also use this power

to destroy others. Eventually, this power draws a

mighty steed to the anti-paladin and imbues that

mount with strength, intelligence and magical

protection.



Alignment: Anti-paladins must be of chaotic evil

alignment, and they lose their divine powers if

they deviate from evil alignment. Additionally,

an anti-paladin swears to follow a code of

conduct that is in line with evil.



Religion: Anti-Paladins need not devote

themselves to a single deity. Devotion to evil is

enough for most. Those who align themselves

with particular religions form a strong defensive

arm of the church. Anti-paladins devoted to a

god are scrupulous in observing religious duties

and are welcome in every associated temple.



Background: Anti-paladins come in two molds:

the first are evil warriors who make a pact with

an evil deity, demon or devil in exchange for

their power; the second are those who are

chosen by an evil deity, demon or devil at birth

to become their champion.



Races: Humans, with their ambitious, power

hungry souls make the best and most frequently

encountered anti-paladins.



Other Classes: Anti-paladins see themselves as

superior to all other classes and act accordingly.

They generally see other anti-paladins as rivals,

but may develop some degree of comraderie if

they share the same religion and/or goals;

otherwise, they avoid each other. They get along

best with clerics and fighters of their own

religion. They hate paladins and clerics of good

alignment; an anti-paladin will try to kill them

at the earliest and most convenient opportunity

if possible. This does not mean they will attack

them on sight or even directly, but they will plot

their ruin and/or murder, possibly sending

anonymous underlings out to accomplish the

task, kidnapping their family, or by poisoning

them at an otherwise innocuous dinner party.



Abilities: Charisma increases the anti-paladin’s

self-protective abilities and undead

commanding. Strength is important for an

anti-paladin because of its role in combat. A

Wisdom score of 14 or higher is required to get

access to the most powerful anti-paladin spells,

and a score of 11 or higher is required to cast

any anti-paladin spells at all.



Alignment: Chaotic evil.



Hit Die: d10.



Class Skills: Bluff (Cha), Concentration (Con),

Diplomacy (Cha), Gather Information (Cha),

Handle Animal (Cha), Heal (Wis), Intimidate

(Cha), Knowledge (Religion) (Int), Knowledge

(Undead) (Int), Profession (Wis), Ride (Dex),

Sense Motive (Wis).



Skill Points at 1st Level: (2 + Int modifier) x

4.

Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 2 + Int

modifer.



Anti-paladins receive a number of special

abilities at levels 1-6 and at every three levels

thereafter.



Level 1 Special Abilities:

Dark Blessing (as blackguard), detect evil/good (at will),

Divine Health, Poison Use (as blackguard).



Level 2 Special Abilities:

Frightful Presence (1/round you can, as a free
action, use your Frightful Presence. All
opponents within 30 ft. who have fewer levels
than you must make a Will save (DC 10 + class
level + Cha modifier. An opponent who fails the
save is shaken, suffering a -2 penalty to attack
rolls, saves and skill checks) for a number of
rounds equal to 1d6 + your Cha modifier).
Usable: Class Level + CHA mod times/day.



Level 3 Special Abilities:

Command Undead (3/day), contagion (1/day,

reverse of paladin’s remove disease ability).



Level 4 Special Ability:

Spell Use (as paladin but uses the blackguard

list) + access to one clerical domain of the

anti-paladin’s choice (must be offered by his

deity).



Level 5 Special Ability:

Special Mount.



Level 6 Special Ability:

Profane Defense (+2 to all saving throws vs.

divine spells).



Level 9 Special Ability:

Special Mount gains the Fiendish template.



Level 12 Special Ability:

Dispel Magic (1/day as a cleric of the anti-paladin’s

class level).



Level 15 Special Ability:

Lesser planar ally (1/day, but no return service

is required by the outsider summoned).



Level 18 Special Ability:

Dark Transendence: Through long association

with his deity’s fiendish servant, and direct

intervention by his deity, the anti-paladin

transcends his mortal form and becomes a

divine creature. His type changes to outsider,

which means that he acquires certain

immunities and vulnerabilities based on his type

(see Native Outsider, under the planetouched

race description).



Upon achieving transcendence, the

anti-paladin’s appearance always undergoes a

minor physical change appropriate to his

alignment and deity. For example, small horns

may sprout from his forehead or his eyes may

glow red or become like those of a serpent.

Anyone who shares the anti-paladin’s patron

deity, including outsider servants of his patron,

immediately recognize his transcendent nature,

and he gains a +2 bonus on all Charisma-based

skill and ability checks in regard to these

 

[S'mon]

BACKGROUND: V'Tal was an ophaned child of 3 when the Temple Priests found
her lost in the woods. The High Priest took to her rather disturbing
ability to know when the forces of good drew near the temple. He had her
schooled in the art of war, specifically fencing, believing she would
become a powerful defender of the temple. On her 22nd birthday she
received a 'vision' from the diety she was raised to worship that she was
being called to serve him in a more 'warrior' like status as his personal
champion against good. Upon revealing her vision to the High Priest, she
was declared the Chosen One, armed with legendary mail, helm and sword of
last Chosen One who was purported to of been killed while defending the
temple from the forces of good over 100 years ago.

 

[S'mon]

The original (AD&D) version of V'tal. Note that she started out as CE (edit: LE not CE, sorry. Changed to CE for my campaign). She was a PC in a PBEM game I GM'd.

Since I'm not sure how to convert her to your rules, I will send you
V'Tal's AD&D character sheet with some notes attached. Also, since I'm
not familiar with your Pantheon, please decide on her god for me. I'm
willing to accept anything you decided for her, as long as she stays evil
and an anti-paladin. Let me know what is needed to change her to your
system and what you will allow and disallow. Sorry if I'm being
bothersome, just never converted an AD&D character to a different system
before. That and the GM running the campaign helped me with coming up
with the appropriate skills/abilities that an Anti-Paladin would have.

NAME: V'Tal
SEX: Female
ALIGNMENT: Lawful Evil
CLASS: Anti-Paladin
RACE: Human
HEIGHT: 6'0"
WEIGHT: 165lbs
AGE: 22 years
HAIR: Black, cropped short in a 'bob'
EYES: Dark Brown
DIETY: I'll let you decide as I'm unfamiliar with your pantheon with Time
of Chaos

Str: 16
Dex: 16
Con: 15
Int: 14
Wis: 14
Chr: 17

Anti-Paladin Abilities:

Can detect the presence of evil intent up to 60 ft away by concentrating
on locating good in a particular direction. Can do this as often as
desired, but each attempt takes one round. This ability detects good
monsters and characters.

Receives +2 to all saving throws

Immune to all forms of disease

Can heal or wound by laying on of hands. Can restore or cause wounds by 2
hit points per experience level. He can heal himself or someone else, but
only once per day.

Can cause disease of all sorts. This can be done only once per week for
each five levels of experience.

Surrounded by an aura of protection with a 10' radius. Within this
radius, all summoned and specifically good creatures suffer a -1 penalty
to their attack rolls, regardless of whom they attack. Creatures affected
by this aura can spot its source easily, even if the anti-paladin is
disguised

Using an unholy sword projects a circle of power 30 feet in diameter when
the sword is unsheathed and held. This power dispels hostile magic of a
level up to the anti-paladin's experience level.

Has the power to call the undead, devils and demons when he reaches 3rd
level

May call for his war horse (a nightmare) upon reaching 4th level, or
anytime thereafter.

Can cast priest spells once he reaches 9th level that pretain to his
chosen god or goddess. Can cast only spells of the combat, divination,
healing and protection (all the reverse of the good versions). The
acquisition and casting of these spells abide by the rules given for
priests.

May not posses more than 10 magical items.

Never retains wealth. Can keep enough to support himself modestly and pay
henchmen, men-at-arms, servants, etc. and to construct or maintain a small
castle or keep. All excess must be donated to the temple of his chosen
diety.

Must always tithe 10 percent of income to the temple of his chosen diety

Does not attract a body of followers upon 9th level or building a castle.
However, he can still hire soldiers and specialists, although these men
must be lawful evil in comportment.

May employ lawful evil henchmen.

==================

EQUIPMENT: Chainmail and helm that covers her face to just above her
lips, Black velvet cape with dark, bloodred lining, leather boots,
two-handed bastard sword.

NOTE: All of her equipment was given to her by the Temple Priests. I
haven't any idea if they were magic items or not, I'll leave that up to
you.

SKILLS: Two-Handed Bastard Sword (specialized), Blindfighting, Animal
Handling, Fire-Building, Heraldry, Horsemanship, Reading/Writing,
Religion, Endurance,