Re: session re****t

"Mary K. Kuhner" <mkkuhner@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> wrote in message 
news:ep8p90$r48$1@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> In article <dNqdncnyuafjfirYnZ2dnUVZ_rSjnZ2d@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
>,
> gleichman <Fox1_217NoSpam@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> wrote:
>
>>Same here. Most game systems have [paladins] to be wimpy fighters with 
>>rather
>>wimpy spells that do little to improve them. The current D&D version is
>>nothing worth bragging about (although I'll be forced to say that I only
>>gave them a once over).
>
> I've been trying to figure out what would be a suitable improvement.

You have to start with what is your vision of  Paladin and go from there. 
Which you already have a good start one from the rest of your post.

> My mental image of what she should be doing involves being able to
> walk onto a battlefield and make things go better for her side, not
> by direct force of arms, but by strengthening and rallying her
> allies.

More the Joan of Arc style than say the Dresden File's Michael's. That 
works, although I'd think that the name Paladin implies significant combat

ability as a given and it's what I based the AoH class around..

Here is what my approach was, it may or may not be useful to you.


1. Start with a core class, *take nothing away*. This is what you build a 
Paladin on top of, much like say God would build one on the base of a
normal 
man.

This has the advantage of allowing a fallen Paladin to default back to a 
normal class without becoming a complete cripple- thus making the
temptation 
to do for various reason more tempting.



2. Decide what basic abilities have to be given to the Paladin in order
for 
him to remain steadfast in his service.

Things like being immune to disease, magical aging attacks, fear and the 
like fit in here. The basic idea is that it should be impossible to ruin
the 
representative of God without first killing him (and thus making him a
nice 
Christian style martyr that will inspire with his death instead of 
demoralize).



3. Decide what basic function the Paladin was created for?

You want leader****p, truth, and protection given your examples. Create 
abilities around those requirements.

Extend the protection from Fear to line of sight out to 20 yards per
level, 
and say 2 yards per level even without line of sight.

Add a Aura of Righteousness that results in anyone viewing the Paladin 
become aware (if even only unconsciously) what the Paladin is and what he 
stands for. This can be useful- granting say bless bonuses to good people,

and curse modifiers to any who oppose the will that sent forth such a 
champion. Have this be equal to the protection from fear range.

Allow the Paladin to turn (ie. dispell) Illusion, Fears, and Charms as if 
they were Undead.

Often some of the Clerical augury style spells to represent divine 
knowledge. Limit these in effect to what information should be granted to
a 
Paladin- and then make them immune from interference from mundane mortal
and 
demonic counters.

Etc.


4. Decide how you wish these abilities to function.

If spell like, they should not have to be chosen ahead of time and they 
should function at the Paladin's full level if not even higher.

Another option is to have them be Faith based as it were. Make a will roll

representing a test of faith- if they succeed the spell goes off normally,

if they fail- it still goes off but they take a Fatigue hit or have to
burn 
a Spell (like the Sorcerer class). A strong will Paladin can basically on 
like the energizer bunny, if his cause is just.

AoH offers both these options to fit various game backgrounds.



The balancing factor in all this is that the Paladin is a direct servant
and 
must be played as one. In addition to obeying the rules of their patron, 
they can only count on drawing upon their special abilities in those tasks

for which they are granted divine duty.