Paladin

**Paladin** is a character class available to players in the *13th Age* fantasy tabletop roleplaying game ruleset. It is a part of the *13th* *Age* core ruleset published by Pelgrane Press. The paladin class is a part of the larger canon of character classes available to players in D20 Fantasy TTRPGs. Paladins are characterized for being holy, oath-driven warriors who utilize the divine power to smite their foes. Seeing that they are one of the most formidable warriors available to characters, paladins are oft categorized as 'martial' characters. The paladin's mechanics are generally based around their templar-esque flavoring and being effective at both taking and dealing damage.

In *WovenRealm*, Constance/Minerva is a paladin, training for the role since youth as a member of the Eternal Trust community. Throughout the series, Constance has been noted for being the first to charge into battle and oftentimes, the last one standing when the dust settles.

## Playstyle

### Role

The image of a crusader boldly charging into the hordes of enemies is often the image evoked by a paladin, and their role in RPGs tend to mirror this. Paladins are excellent warriors and make great 'martial' classes. Colloquially, the term 'tank' is often used to describe a playstyle where the character is used to draw enemy attacks and hold the line. The paladin, originally a mixture of the fighter and cleric, has some support tendencies with healing being a hallmark of the class.

### Ability Score

Seeing that they are mighty warriors, Strength is the most important ability score to paladins as it effects their ability to use melee weapons. Paladins, leading through example, power their divine magic through their Charisma score with a high Charisma meaning more smites. Seeing that they are often found in the frontlines, Paladins also benefit from a decent Constitution score.

### Primary Mechanics

As is the case with many of their RPG analogues, the premiere power of paladins is *smite evil,* which adds a bonus to the attack. Many of the paladins abilities and powers focus on either increasing the paladin's effectiveness as a warrior or adding support-type abilities based out of the divine, such as healing or taking cleric spells and domains. Like the other warrior classes of *13th Age*, as they gain levels, instead of adding new abilities (usually via spells), paladins gain more class talents. Like their cleric allies, paladins are also invaluable in defeating foes of an undead or fiendish nature. Their higher Charisma scores also allow paladins to take charge in conversations as a 'party face.'

### Narrative & Background

Paladins traditionally have been treated as warriors devoted to either a religion or a sacred order, but in modern gaming, paladins are usually considered 'oath-bound' warriors. The ruleset offers the suggested backgrounds of city guard, combat medic, bodyguard, outlaw hunter, and inquisitor.

## In Previous Campaigns

During the course of *SteamSpell*, after interacting with the Aedellion artifact, Nettle Swiftfoot's class changed from Fighter to Paladin. Nettle remained a paladin for the remainder of the campaign's run.

## In Campaign

In *WovenRealm*, Constance starts the adventure as a paladin who has spent most her life training for the role. Over the course of the story, Constance learns that she is in fact Minerva Partridge and that her divine magic comes from within her due to the geneforging of the Good Doctor in the attempts to create a god. Constance continues to use her holy might for goodness, and given the fact that she can wear the Eversummer Armor, she is in no danger of seeing that power wane.

## Homebrew

The abilities and powers homebrewed for Constance have been based around her being the product of biomancy. Immunity to poison and disease are often abilities granted to paladins in other fantasy RPGs, which was the touchstone for the ability despite the narrative reasons pointing toward a different reason for the ability. The *Minerva Awakened* feat was designed specifically as a boost to Constance's smites.

## Notes & Trivia

* Constance is one of the very few exceptions of paladins who draw their power from themselves and not a sacred oath or loyalty to the divine.
* Paladin has a clear *Dungeons & Dragons* analogue where they are paragons of the ideals the fight for with a similar set of abilities.
* The inspiration for the class is from the stories of chivalric knights. The name itself is taken from the stories of Charlemagne and his court of 12 knights. Also referred to as the '12 peers,' these chivalric, religious knights are considered Frankish contemporaries of the King Arthur myth. The word 'paladin' itself is derived from the Latin form of 'Palatine Hill' or 'of the palace.'
* Paladins are often used to represent 'knights' given their cavalier and noble touchstones.