Antipaladin

Although it is a rare occurrence, paladins do sometimes stray from the path of righteousness. Most of these wayward holy warriors seek out redemption and forgiveness for their misdeeds, regaining their powers through piety, charity, and powerful magic. Yet there are others, the dark and disturbed few, who turn actively to evil, courting the dark powers they once railed against in order to take vengeance on their former brothers. It’s said that those who climb the farthest have the farthest to fall, and Antipaladins are living proof of this fact, their pride and hatred blinding them to the glory of their forsaken patrons.

Antipaladins become the antithesis of their former selves. They make pacts with fiends, take the lives of the innocent, and put nothing ahead of their personal power and wealth. Champions of evil, they often lead armies of evil creatures and work with other villains to bring ruin to the holy and tyranny to the weak. Not surprisingly, paladins stop at nothing to put an end to such nefarious antiheroes.

**Role:** Antipaladins are villains at their most dangerous. They care nothing for the lives of others and actively seek to bring death and destruction to ordered society. They rarely travel with those that they do not subjugate, unless as part of a ruse to bring ruin from within.

**Alignment:** Any Chaotic

**Hit Die:** d10

**Starting Wealth:** 5d6 x 10g

**Class Bonus:** Str +3, Cha +2

## Spells

The Antipaladin is a Divine Spellcaster. The Antipaladin uses their Cha modifier for spellcasting.

All learnable spells can be found here.

The Antipaladin must spend 1 hour each day praying to their deity in order to regain their spell slots and choose what spells they wish to prepare for the day.

The number of spells an Antipaladin can cast each day are equal to the number on the chart (above) + the bonus spells per day listed here.

For Divine Focus (DF) spells, the Antipaladin must be in possession of and presenting the Holy/Unholy Symbol of their deity.

### Spells Known

The Antipaladin can cast any spell off of the Antipaladin table when they unlock the Spell Tier (as seen above), but they must prepare the spells at the beginning of the day.

### Weak Caster

Through 3rd level, an Antipaladin has no caster level. At 4th level and higher, their caster level is equal to their Antipaladin level –3.

## Abilities

### Class Proficiency

The Antipaladin is proficient with Simple and Light Martial Weapons, and with all types of armor (Light, Medium, and Heavy). They are proficient in shields (but not tower shields).

### Malediction (Ex)

You swear your life to a Malediction that binds you as an Antipaladin forever. You will be in a preparatory stage for the first 3 Levels of Antipaladin, before you begin to gain powers from following your Malediction. You may choose an Malediction from the following list:

You gain bonus spells from your Malediction at 4th, 7th, 10th, and 13th Level. These spells are always prepared and can be cast so long as you have the spell slot available.

You gain abilities from your Malediction at 3rd, 7th, 15th, and 20th level.

### Divine Sense (Su)

As a standard action, you can open your awareness to detect divine forces. Until the end of your next turn, you know the location of any Celestial, Demon, or Undead within 60 feet of you that is not behind total cover. You know the type (celestial, demon, or undead) of any being whose presence you sense, but not its identity. Within the same radius, you also detect the presence of any place or object that has been consecrated or desecrated. You can use this feature a number of times equal to 1 + your Charisma modifier. When you finish a Long Rest, you regain all expended uses.

### Smite (Su)

Once per day, an Antipaladin can call out to the powers of chaos to aid her in her struggle against their foes. As a swift action, the Antipaladin chooses one target of opposing alignment (Good or Evil) within sight to smite. If the Antipaladin is Good, they can use Smite on Evil creatures. If the Antipaladin is Evil, they can use Smite on Good creatures. If they are Neutral, they must choose if they will smite Good or Evil. They cannot change this after choosing. The Antipaladin adds their Cha bonus (if any) to their attack rolls and adds their Antipaladin level to all damage rolls made against the target of the smite. If the target of smite is a Celestial or Demon of the opposing alignment, or Undead, the bonus to damage on the first successful attack increases to 2 points of damage per level the Antipaladin possesses. Regardless of the target, smite attacks automatically bypass any DR the creature might possess.

In addition, while smite evil is in effect, the Antipaladin gains a deflection bonus equal to her Charisma modifier (if any) to her AC against attacks made by the target of the smite. If the Antipaladin targets a creature that is not of the opposite alignment, the smite is wasted with no effect.

The smite effect remains until the target of the smite is dead or the next time the Antipaladin rests and regains their uses of this ability. At 4th level, and at every three levels thereafter, the Antipaladin may smite one additional time per day, to a maximum of seven times per day at 19th level.

### Unholy Resilience (Su)

At 2nd level, an Antipaladin gains a bonus equal to their Charisma bonus (if any) on all Saving Throws.

### Touch of Corruption (Su)

Beginning at 2nd level, an Antipaladin surrounds his hand with a fiendish flame, causing terrible wounds to open on those he touches. Each day he can use this ability a number of times equal to 1/2 his Antipaladin level + his Charisma modifier. As a touch attack, an Antipaladin can cause 1d6 points of damage for every two Antipaladin levels he possesses. Using this ability is a standard action that does not provoke attacks of opportunity.

Alternatively, an Antipaladin can use this power to heal undead creatures, restoring 1d6 hit points for every two levels the Antipaladin possesses. This ability is modified by any feat, spell, or effect that specifically works with the lay on hands paladin class feature. For example, the Extra Lay On Hands feat grants an Antipaladin 2 additional uses of the touch of corruption class feature.

### Aura of Cowardice (Su)

Beginning at 3rd Level, an Antipaladin becomes immune to fear (magical or otherwise). Each opponent within 10 feet of them takes a -4 penalty on saving throws against fear effects and opposed checks from the Intimidate skill. This ability functions while the Antipaladin is conscious, but not if they are unconscious or dead.

### Plague Bringer (Su)

At 3rd level, the powers of darkness make an Antipaladin a beacon of corruption and disease. An Antipaladin does not take any damage or take any penalty from diseases. He can still contract diseases and spread them to others, but he is otherwise immune to their effects.

### Cruelty (Su)

At 3rd level, and every three levels thereafter, an Antipaladin can select one cruelty. Each cruelty adds an effect to the Antipaladin’s touch of corruption ability. Whenever the Antipaladin uses touch of corruption to deal damage to one target, the target also receives the additional effect from one of the cruelties possessed by the Antipaladin. This choice is made when the touch is used. The target receives a Fortitude save to avoid this cruelty. If the save is successful, the target takes the damage as normal, but not the effects of the cruelty. The DC of this save is equal to 10 + 1/2 the Antipaladin’s level + the Antipaladin’s Charisma modifier.

At 3rd level, the Antipaladin can select from the following initial cruelties.

*Fatigued*: The target is fatigued.

*Shaken*: The target is shaken for 1 round per level of the Antipaladin.

*Sickened*: The target is sickened for 1 round per level of the Antipaladin.

At 6th level, an Antipaladin adds the following cruelties to the list of those that can be selected.

*Dazed*: The target is dazed for 1 round.

*Diseased*: The target contracts a disease, as if the Antipaladin had cast contagion, using his Antipaladin level as his caster level.

*Staggered*: The target is staggered for 1 round per two levels of the Antipaladin.

At 9th level, an Antipaladin adds the following cruelties to the list of those that can be selected.

*Cursed*: The target is cursed, as if the Antipaladin had cast bestow curse, using his Antipaladin level as his caster level.

*Exhausted*: The target is exhausted. The Antipaladin must have the fatigue cruelty before selecting this cruelty.

*Frightened*: The target is frightened for 1 round per two levels of the Antipaladin. The Antipaladin must have the shaken cruelty before selecting this cruelty.

*Nauseated*: The target is nauseated for 1 round per three levels of the Antipaladin. The Antipaladin must have the sickened cruelty before selecting this cruelty.

*Poisoned*: The target is poisoned, as if the Antipaladin had cast poison, using the Antipaladin’s level as the caster level.

At 12th level, an Antipaladin adds the following cruelties to the list of those that can be selected.

*Blinded*: The target is blinded for 1 round per level of the Antipaladin.

*Deafened*: The target is deafened for 1 round per level of the Antipaladin.

*Paralyzed*: The target is paralyzed for 1 round.

*Stunned*: The target is stunned for 1 round per four levels of the Antipaladin.

These abilities are not cumulative. For example, a 12th-level Antipaladin’s touch of corruption ability deals 6d6 points of damage and might also cause the target to become fatigued, dazed, poisoned, or diseased. Once a cruelty is chosen, it can’t be changed.

### Divine Bond (Sp)

Upon reaching 5th level, an Antipaladin can make a bond with his deity.

The bond allows the Antipaladin to enhance his weapon as a standard action by calling upon the aid of their deity for 1 minute per Antipaladin level. When called, the spirit causes the weapon to shed unholy light as a torch. At 5th level, this spirit grants the weapon a +1 enhancement bonus. For every three levels beyond 5th, the weapon gains another +1 enhancement bonus, to a maximum of +6 at 20th level.

Adding these properties consumes an amount of bonus equal to the property’s cost (sorted and listed below).

These bonuses can be added to the weapon, stacking with existing weapon bonuses to a maximum of +5, or they can be used to add any of the following weapon properties:

+1: flaming, keen, vicious

+2: Anarchic, flaming burst, unholy, wounding

+3: speed

+5: vorpal

These bonuses are added to any properties the weapon already has, but duplicate abilities do not stack. If the weapon is not magical, at least a +1 enhancement bonus must be added before any other properties can be added. The bonus and properties granted by the deity are determined when the deity is called and cannot be changed until the deity is called again. The deity imparts no bonuses if the weapon is held by anyone other than the Antipaladin but resumes giving bonuses if returned to the Antipaladin. These bonuses apply to only one end of a double weapon. An Antipaladin can use this ability once per day at 5th level, and one additional time per day for every four levels beyond 5th, to a total of four times per day at 17th level.

If a weapon bonded with a deity is destroyed, the Antipaladin loses the use of this ability for 30 days, or until he gains a level, whichever comes first. During this 30-day period, the Antipaladin takes a –1 penalty on attack and weapon damage rolls.

### Martial Master (Ex)

At 5th Level, choose a single weapon you are proficient in. Gain a +3 competence bonus to Attack rolls with that weapon.

At 15th Level, this bonus increases to +6.

### Aura of Vengeance (Su)

At 11th level, an Antipaladin can expend two uses of his smite ability to grant the ability to smite to all allies within 10 feet, using his bonuses. Allies must use this smite ability by the start of the Antipaladin’s next turn and the bonuses last for 1 minute. Using this ability is a free action. Creatures of the opposing alignment do not gain the benefits.

### Capstone - Agent of Chaos (Su)

At 20th level, an Antipaladin becomes a conduit for the might of the dark powers. He gains DR 10/Axiomatic. Whenever he uses smite and successfully strikes an outsider of the opposing alignment, the outsider is also subject to a *Banishment*, using his Antipaladin level as the caster level (his weapon and unholy symbol automatically count as objects that the subject hates). After the banishment effect and the damage from the attack is resolved, the smite immediately ends. In addition, whenever he uses touch of corruption to damage a creature, he deals the maximum possible amount.