Character Creation (CPaH)

__TOC__
This chapter compiles all of the statistics, adjustments, and level progressions from the PH and DMG pertaining to the paladin. Although no two paladins are exactly alike, all of them have these fundamentals in common.
==Paladin Requirements==
It takes an exceptional character to become a paladin, as reflected in the class qualifications listed in Table 1.
 Table 1: Class Qualifications
Ability Requirements	Strength 12Constitution 9Wisdom 13Charisma 17
Prime Requisites 	StrengthCharisma
Races Allowed 	Human
Alignments Allowed 	Lawful good
A player who tries to generate a paladin by using Method I, described in Chapter 1 of the PH, may be rolling dice all day. Although the odds improve slightly when using Methods II-IV, only Methods V and VI give a reasonable, albeit slim, chance of producing the necessary numbers.
Although the strict ability requirements may frustrate a player wanting to create a paladin character, they're necessary to regulate play balance. Paladins are among the game's most formidable characters. If they were as easy to roll up as, say, warriors or mages, the surplus of powerful characters would make it difficult, perhaps impossible, for the DM to come up with encounters challenging enough for all members of a party. A DM may also have other reasons for limiting the paladin population—for instance, the campaign world may discourage the development of paladins—or may restrict the number of paladins simply to enhance their mystique.
But if your DM is open to paladin player-characters, you might consider using Table 2 instead of dice rolls to generate the required ability scores. Roll 1d12 and use the indicated statistics.
 Table 2: Pre-generated Ability Scores
D12	Str	Dex	Con	Int	Wis	Cha
1 	12 	8 	16 	10 	15 	17
2 	17 	10 	10 	9 	14 	17
3 	12 	9 	12 	10 	16 	18
4 	15 	13 	15 	11 	14 	17
5 	14 	16 	9 	15 	18 	17
6 	12 	11 	11 	9 	13 	18
7 	18*	12 	12 	12 	14 	17
8 	13 	11 	14 	10 	17 	18
9 	16 	10 	11 	11 	16 	17
10 	13 	14 	13 	9 	13 	17
11 	15 	12 	17 	14 	15 	18
12 	14 	15 	10 	13 	13 	17
: * Roll percentile dice for exceptional Strength.
==Level Advancement==
Paladins advance in level and hit points at the same rate as fighters. For each level up to 9, they gain 1d10 hit points. They receive 3 extra hit points at level 10 and beyond. Table 3 summarizes the paladin's level advancements, along with the corresponding THAC0 scores.
Keep two adjustments in mind:
* Paladins whose Strength and Charisma scores equal or exceed 16 earn a 10% bonus to all earned experienced points. A paladin must have a 16 or more in both of these abilities to qualify for the bonus.
* Unusually high Constitution scores award hit point adjustments. A paladin with a Constitution of 17 receives a +3 bonus per hit die, and a score of 18 grants a +4 bonus.
 Table 3: Experience Levels
Level	XP Needed	Hit Dice (d10)	THAC0
1 	0 	1 	20
2 	2,250 	2 	19
3 	4,500 	3 	18
4 	9,000 	4 	17
5 	18,000 	5 	16
6 	36,000 	6 	15
7 	75,000 	7 	14
8 	150,000 	8 	13
9 	300,000 	9 	12
10 	600,000 	9+3 	11
11 	900,000 	9+6 	10
12 	1,200,000	9+9 	9
13 	1,500,000	9+12 	8
14 	1,800,000	9+15 	7
15 	2,100,000	9+18 	6
16 	2,400,000	9+21 	5
17 	2,700,000	9+24 	4
18 	3,000,000	9+27 	3
19 	3,300,000	9+30 	2
20 	3,600,000	9+33 	1
Advancing in level, a paladin gets new proficiency slots, as shown on Table 4. Remember that a paladin suffers a –2 penalty when using a weapon without the required proficiency.
 Table 4: Total Proficiency Slots
Level	Weapon	Nonweapon
1-2 	4 	3
3-5 	5 	4
6-8 	6 	5
9-11 	7 	6
12-14	8 	7
15-17	9 	8
18-20	10 	9
Table 5 summarizes the saving throws applicable to each level. Unlike other characters, paladins receive a +2 bonus to all saving throws. For convenience, the paladin's modified throws are given in parentheses; for example, a 1st-level paladin must roll a 12 or better to avoid the effects of paralyzation.
 Table 5: Saving Throws
Level	PPDM 	RSW 	PP 	Breath 	Spell
1-2 	14 (12)	16 (14)	15 (13)	17 (15)	17 (15)
3-4 	13 (11)	15 (13)	14 (12)	16 (14)	16 (14)
5-6 	11 (9) 	13 (11)	12 (10)	13 (11)	14 (12)
7-8 	10 (8) 	12 (10)	11 (9) 	12 (10)	13 (11)
9-10 	8 (6) 	10 (8) 	9 (7) 	9 (7) 	11 (9)
11-12	7 (5) 	9 (7) 	8 (6) 	8 (6) 	10 (8)
13-14	5 (3) 	7 (5) 	6 (4) 	5 (3) 	8 (6)
15-16	4 (2) 	6 (4) 	5 (3) 	4 (2) 	7 (5)
17+ 	3 (1) 	5 (3) 	4 (2) 	4 (2) 	6 (4)
Abbreviations
: PPDM = Paralyzation, Poison, or Death Magic
: RSW = Rod, Staff, or Wand
: PP = Petrification or Polymorph
: Breath = Breath Weapon
==Armor and Weapons==
As members of the warrior group, paladins can wear any type of armor. Regardless of the armor worn, paladins suffer no penalties to any of their special abilities.
Paladins can also wield any of the weapons listed in Chapter 6 of the PH. As they increase in level, they can make more than one attack per round, as shown in Table 6.
|+ Table 6: Paladin Attacks Per Round
Level	Attacks/Round
1-6 	1/round
7-12 	3/2 rounds
13+ 	2/round
A paladin may fight with two weapons at the same time, holding one in each hand, providing the second weapon is smaller and lighter than the main weapon, and that he avoids using a shield. With these qualifications, the paladin may make an additional attack each round with the second weapon. However, fighting with two weapons simultaneously gives a penalty on both attack rolls. The base penalty is –2 for the main weapon and –4 for the second weapon. The paladin's Reaction Adjustment, based on Dexterity, modifies both penalties, though neither may be modified above 0. Table 7 summarizes these penalties.
 Table 7: Two-Weapon Attack Roll Penalties
Dex. 	Main WeaponPenalty	Second WeaponPenalty
1 	–8 	–10
2 	–6 	–8
3 	–5 	–7
4 	–4 	–6
5 	–3 	–5
6-15 	–2 	–4
16 	–1 	–3
17-18	0 	–2
==Clerical Magic==
At 9th level, a paladin becomes eligible to cast clerical spells. Table 8 shows the number of spells a paladin receives at each level. The table also indicates the spell level cast. For example, if a 13th-level paladin casts the 2nd-level slow poison spell, the effects persist for 5 hours; the spell's duration is 1 hour/level and, as shown on Table 8, a 13th-level paladin casts it at 5th level. A paladin's spells never rise beyond 9th level.
Paladins only have access to spells of the Combat, Divination, Healing, and Protective spheres. For reference, Table 9 lists all spells from the PH available to paladins. The following restrictions also apply:
* Paladins don't get bonus spells for high Wisdom scores.
* Paladins can't use priestly magical items, nor can they cast spells from clerical or druidical scrolls. However, they may use any magical items intended for the warrior group, even if priests use them too.
 Table 8: Paladin Spell Progression
PaladinLevel	CastingLevel	Priest Spell Levels	Priest Spell Levels	Priest Spell Levels	Priest Spell Levels
PaladinLevel	CastingLevel	1 	2 	3 	4
9 	1 	1 	— 	— 	—
10 	2 	2 	— 	— 	—
11 	3 	2 	1 	— 	—
12 	4 	2 	2 	— 	—
13 	5 	2 	2 	1 	—
14 	6 	3 	2 	1 	—
15 	7 	3 	2 	1 	1
16 	8 	3 	3 	2 	1
17-18 	9 	3 	3 	3 	1
19 	9 	3 	3 	3 	2
20 	9 	3 	3 	3 	3
 Table 9: Paladin Spells
Level	Name 	Sphere
1 	Cure Light Wounds 	Healing
1 	Detect Magic 	Divination
1 	Detect Poison 	Divination
1 	Endure Cold/Endure Heat 	Protection
1 	Magical Stone 	Combat
1 	Protection from Evil 	Protection
1 	Sanctuary 	Protection
1 	Detect Snares and Pits* 	Divination
1 	Locate Animals and Plants	Divination
1 	Shillelagh* 	Combat
2 	Augury 	Divination
2 	Chant 	Combat
2 	Detect Charm 	Divination
2 	Find Traps 	Divination
2 	Know Alignment 	Divination
2 	Resist Fire/Resist Cold 	Protection
2 	Slow Poison 	Healing
2 	Speak with Animals 	Divination
2 	Spiritual Hammer 	Combat
2 	Withdraw 	Protection
2 	Barkskin* 	Protection
3 	Dispel Magic 	Protection
3 	Locate Objects 	Divination
3 	Magical Vestment 	Protection
3 	Negative Plane Protection	Protection
3 	Prayer 	Combat
3 	Remove Curse 	Protection
3 	Remove Paralysis 	Protection
3 	Speak with Dead 	Divination
3 	Protection from Fire* 	Protection
4 	Cure Serious Wounds 	Healing
4 	Detect Lie 	Divination
4 	Divination 	Divination
4 	Neutralize Poison 	Healing
4 	Protection from Evil, 	Protection10' Radius
4 	Spell Immunity 	Protection
4 	Tongues 	Divination
4 	Protect. from Lightning* 	Protection
4 	Reflecting Pool* 	Divination
4 	Repel Insects 	Protection
* Italicized entries were classified as druidic spells in the original AD&D® rules. Paladins using the 1st Edition may not choose any of these spells.
Optional spell restriction: At the DM's discretion, AD&D® 2nd Edition paladins may be forbidden to cast the italicized spells on Table 9.
At 3rd level, a paladin gains the ability to turn undead. The number and type of undead turned depends on the paladin's level, as per Table 10.
A paladin turns undead just like a priest of two levels lower than the paladin. The player rolls 1d20 and consults the relevant column of Table 10. A result equal to or greater than the listed number indicates success. A "T" means the attempt succeeds automatically; no roll is necessary. A "D" means the targeted undead are destroyed. Turning attempts can't be made against categories of undead indicated by a dash. A successful roll, or a "T" or "D" notation, affects 2-12 (2d6) undead. Only one die-roll is made per turning attempt, regardless of the composition of the undead group.
Use the same die result on all applicable columns of Table 61. (See Chapter 2 for more about this ability.)
 Table 10: Turning Undead (Paladin)
PaladinLevel	Category of Undead	Category of Undead	Category of Undead	Category of Undead	Category of Undead	Category of Undead	Category of Undead	Category of Undead	Category of Undead	Category of Undead	Category of Undead	Category of Undead	Category of Undead
PaladinLevel	1 	2 	3 	4 	5 	6 	7 	8 	9 	10 	11 	12 	13
3 	10 	13 	16 	19 	20 	— 	— 	— 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
4 	7 	10 	13 	16 	19 	20 	— 	— 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
5 	4 	7 	10 	13 	16 	19 	20 	— 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
6 	T 	4 	7 	10 	13 	16 	19 	20 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
7 	T 	T 	4 	7 	10 	13 	16 	19 	20 	— 	— 	— 	—
8 	D 	T 	T 	4 	7 	10 	13 	16 	19 	20 	— 	— 	—
9 	D 	D 	T 	T 	4 	7 	10 	13 	16 	19 	20 	— 	—
10 	D* 	D 	D 	T 	T 	4 	7 	10 	13 	16 	19 	20 	—
11 	D* 	D* 	D 	D 	T 	T 	4 	7 	10 	13 	16 	19 	20
12-13 	D* 	D* 	D* 	D 	D 	T 	T 	4 	7 	10 	13 	16 	19
14-15 	D* 	D* 	D* 	D* 	D 	D 	T 	T 	4 	7 	10 	13 	16
16+ 	D* 	D* 	D* 	D* 	D* 	D 	D 	T 	T 	4 	7 	10 	13
Key to Categories
: 1: Skeleton (or 1 HD undead)
: 2: Zombie
: 3: Ghoul (or 2 HD undead)
: 4: Shadow (or 4 HD undead)
: 5: Wight (or 5 HD undead)
: 6: Ghast
: 7: Wraith (or 6 HD undead)
: 8: Mummy (or 7 HD undead)
: 9: Spectre (or 8 HD undead)
: 10: Vampire (or 9 HD undead)
: 11: Ghost (or 10 HD undead)
: 12: Lich (or 11+ HD undead)
: 13: Special undead, including one-of-a-kind creatures, free-willed undead of the Negative Plane, outer planes undead, and certain greater and lesser deities.
* An additional 2d4 creatures of this type are turned.