Paladin

The **Paladin** is a class in *Pathfinder: Kingmaker*.

## Description

Through a select, worthy few shines the power of the divine. Called **paladins**, these noble souls dedicate their swords and lives to the battle against evil. Knights, crusaders, and law-bringers, paladins seek not just to spread divine justice but to embody the teachings of the virtuous deities they serve. In pursuit of their lofty goals, they adhere to ironclad laws of morality and discipline. As reward for their righteousness, these holy champions are blessed with boons to aid them in their quests: powers to banish evil, heal the innocent, and inspire the faithful. Although their convictions might lead them into conflict with the very souls they would save, **paladins** weather endless challenges of faith and dark temptations, risking their lives to do right and fighting to bring about a brighter future.

## Gameplay

Role: Paladins serve as beacons for their allies within the chaos of battle. While deadly opponents of evil, they can also empower goodly souls to aid in their crusades. Their magic and martial skills also make them well suited to defending others and blessing the fallen with the strength to continue fighting.

Alignment: Lawful good.

Hit Die: d10.

Skill Ranks per Level: 1 + ½ Int modifier.

Class Skills: Knowledge (Arcana), Knowledge (World), Lore (Nature), Lore (Religion), Persuasion.

## Archetypes

* **Divine Hunter, Hospitaler, Divine Guardian**

## Class Features

### **Paladin Proficiencies**

Paladins are proficient with all simple and martial weapons, with all types of armor (heavy, medium, and light), and with shields (except tower shields).

### **Alignment Restriction**

A paladin who ceases to be lawful good loses all paladin spells and class features except class proficiencies. She may not progress any further in levels as a paladin. She regains her abilities and advancement potential if she atones for her violations (atonement scroll) and/or change her alignment back to lawful good again.

### **Deity Selection**

A
 deity, also known as a god or goddess, is a being or force of incredible power capable of granting its power to mortal beings through divine magic. A deity is strongly associated with a specific alignment, several domains, and a plane (typically an Outer Sphere plane).

### **Smite Evil**

Once per day, a paladin can call out to the powers of good to aid her in her struggle against evil. As a swift action, the paladin chooses one target within sight to *smite*. If this target is evil, the paladin adds her Charisma bonus (if any) to her attack rolls and adds her paladin level to all damage rolls made against the target of her *smite*. If the target of *smite evil* is an *outsider* with the *evil* subtype, an *evil-aligned dragon*, or an *undead creature*, the bonus to damage on the first successful
attack increases to 2 points of damage per level the paladin possesses. Regardless of the target, *smite evil* attacks automatically bypass any DR the creature might possess.

In addition, while smite evil is in effect, the paladin 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 paladin targets a creature that is not evil, the smite is wasted with no effect.

The smite evil effect remains until the target of the smite is dead or the next time the paladin rests and regains her uses of this ability. At 4th level, and at every three levels thereafter, the paladin may *smite evil* one additional time per day.

### **Divine Grace**

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

### **Lay On Hands**

Beginning at 2nd level, a paladin can heal wounds (her own or those of others) by touch. Each day she can use this ability a number of times equal to ½ her paladin level plus her Charisma modifier. With one use of this ability, a paladin can heal 1d6 hit points of damage for every two paladin levels she possesses. Using this ability is a standard action, unless the paladin targets herself, in which case it is a swift action.

Alternatively, a paladin can use this healing power to deal damage to undead creatures, dealing 1d6 points of damage for every two levels the paladin possesses. Using *lay on hands* in this way requires a successful melee touch attack and doesn't provoke an attack of opportunity. Undead do not receive a saving throw against this damage.

### **Aura of Courage**

At 3rd level, a paladin is immune to *fear* (magical or otherwise). Each ally within 10 feet of her gains a +4 morale bonus on saving throws against *fear* effects. This ability functions only while the paladin is conscious, not if she is unconscious or dead.

### **Divine Health**

At 3rd level, a paladin is *immune* to all *diseases*, including supernatural and magical diseases, like mummy rot.

### **Mercy**

At 3rd level, and every three levels thereafter, a paladin can select one *mercy*. Each mercy adds an effect to the paladin's *lay on hands* ability. Whenever the paladin uses lay on hands to heal damage to one target, the target also receives the additional effects from all of the mercies possessed by the paladin.

* At 3rd level: Fatigued, Shaken, Sickened.
* At 6th level: Dazed, Diseased, Staggered.
* At 9th level: Confused, Cursed, Nauseated, Poisoned
* At 12th level: Blinded, Paralyzed, Stunned.

### **Channel Positive Energy**

When a paladin reaches 4th level, she gains the supernatural ability to Channel positive energy like a cleric, except that using this ability consumes two uses of her Lay on hands ability.  The Hospitaler archetype can use Channel positive energy without spending uses of Lay on Hands.

This energy can be used to cause or heal damage, depending on the creatures targeted. Paladin *channels positive energy* and can choose to deal damage to undead creatures or to heal living creatures.  *Channeling positive energy* causes a burst that affects all
creatures of one type (either undead or living) in a 30-foot radius centered on the paladin. The amount of damage dealt or healed is equal to 1d6 points of damage plus 1d6 points of damage for every two paladin levels beyond 1st (2d6 at 3rd, 3d6 at 5th, and so on). Creatures that take damage from channeled energy receive a Will save to halve the damage. The DC of this save is equal to 10 + ½ the paladin's level + the paladin's Charisma modifier. Creatures healed by channel energy cannot exceed their maximum hit point total—all excess healing is lost.

This is a standard action that does not provoke an attack of opportunity.

### **Spells**

Beginning at 4th level, a paladin gains the ability to cast a small number of divine spells which are drawn from the paladin spell list. A paladin must choose and prepare her spells in advance.

To prepare or cast a spell, a paladin must have a Charisma score equal to at least 10 + the spell level. The Difficulty Class for a saving throw against a paladin’s spell is 10 + the spell level + the paladin’s Charisma modifier.

Like other spellcasters, a paladin can cast only a certain number of spells of each spell level per day. Her base daily spell allotment is given on **Table: Paladin**. In addition, she receives bonus spells per day if she has a high Charisma score (see Table: Ability Modifiers and Bonus Spells). When **Table: Paladin** indicates that the paladin gets 0 spells per day of a given spell level, she gains only the bonus spells she would be entitled to based on her Charisma score for that spell level.

A paladin must spend 1 hour each day in quiet prayer and meditation to regain her daily allotment of spells. A paladin may prepare and cast any spell on the paladin spell list, provided that she can cast spells of that level, but she must choose which spells to prepare during her daily meditation.

Through 3rd level, a paladin has no caster level. At 4th level and higher, her caster level is equal to her paladin level – 3.

### **Divine Bond**

Upon reaching 5th level, a paladin forms a *divine bond* with her weapon. As a standard action she can call upon the aid of a celestial spirit for 1 minute per paladin level.

* 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. These bonuses can be added to the weapon, stacking with existing weapon bonuses to a maximum of +5.

* Alternatively, they can be used to add any of the following weapon properties: axiomatic, brilliant energy, defending, disruption, flaming, flaming burst, holy, keen, and speed. Adding these properties consumes an amount of bonus equal to the property's cost. These bonuses are added to any properties the weapon already has, but duplicate abilities do not stack. A paladin 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.

### **Aura of Resolve**

At 8th level, a paladin is immune to *charm* spells and spell-like abilities. Each ally within 10 feet of her gains a +4 morale bonus on saving throws against charm effects. This ability functions only while the paladin is conscious, not if she is unconscious or dead.

### **Aura of Justice**

At
 11th level, a paladin can expend two uses of her *smite evil* ability to
grant the ability to *smite evil* to all allies for 1 minute, using her bonuses. As a swift action, the paladin chooses one target within sight to *smite*. If this target is *evil*, paladins allies add her Cha bonus (if any) to their attack rolls and add her Paladin level to all damage rolls made against the target of her *smite*. *Smite evil* attacks automatically bypass any DR the creature might possess.

In addition, while *smite evil* is in effect, paladins allies gain a deflection bonus equal to her Charisma modifier (if any) to their AC against attacks made by the target of this smite. If the paladin targets a creature that is not evil, this *smite* is wasted with no effect.

### **Aura of Faith**

At 14th level, a paladin's weapons are treated as good-aligned for the purposes of overcoming Damage Reduction. Any attack made against an enemy within 10 feet of her is treated as good-aligned for the purposes of overcoming Damage Reduction. This ability functions only while the paladin is conscious, not if she is unconscious or dead.

### **Aura of Righteousness**

At 17th level, a paladin gains DR 5/evil and *immunity* to *compulsion* spells and spell-like abilities. Each ally within 10 feet of her gains a +4 morale bonus on saving throws against *compulsion* effects. This ability functions only while the paladin is conscious, not if she is unconscious or dead.

### **Holy Champion**

At 20th level, a paladin becomes a conduit for the power of her god. Her DR increases to 10/evil and whenever she *channels positive energy* or uses *lay on hands* to heal a creature, she heals the maximum possible amount.