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.
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
Race: Aasimar, Dwarves, Half-Elves, Half-Orcs, and Humans
Hit Die: d10
Skill Ranks per Level: 2 + Int modifier.
Class Skills: The paladin's class skills are Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Handle Animal (Cha), Heal (Wis), Knowledge (nobility) (Int), Knowledge (religion) (Int), Pilot (Dex), Profession (Wis), Ride (Dex), Sense Motive (Wis), and Spellcraft (Int).
Table: Paladin |
Spells per day |
Level |
Base Attack Bonus |
Fort Save |
Ref Save |
Will Save |
Special |
1st |
2nd |
3rd |
4th |
1st |
+1 |
+2 |
+0 |
+2 |
Aura of Good, Detect Evil, Smite Evil 1/day |
— |
— |
— |
— |
2nd |
+2 |
+3 |
+0 |
+3 |
Divine Grace, Lay On Hands |
— |
— |
— |
— |
3rd |
+3 |
+3 |
+1 |
+3 |
Aura of Courage, Divine Health, Mercy |
— |
— |
— |
— |
4th |
+4 |
+4 |
+1 |
+4 |
Channel Positive Energy, Smite Evil 2/day |
0 |
— |
— |
— |
5th |
+5 |
+4 |
+1 |
+4 |
Divine Bond |
1 |
— |
— |
— |
6th |
+6/+1 |
+5 |
+2 |
+5 |
Mercy |
1 |
— |
— |
— |
7th |
+7/+2 |
+5 |
+2 |
+5 |
Smite Evil 3/day |
1 |
0 |
— |
— |
8th |
+8/+3 |
+6 |
+2 |
+6 |
Aura of Resolve |
1 |
1 |
— |
— |
9th |
+9/+4 |
+6 |
+3 |
+6 |
Mercy |
2 |
1 |
— |
— |
10th |
+10/+5 |
+7 |
+3 |
+7 |
Smite Evil 4/day |
2 |
1 |
0 |
— |
11th |
+11/+6/+1 |
+7 |
+3 |
+7 |
Aura of Justice |
2 |
1 |
1 |
— |
12th |
+12/+7/+2 |
+8 |
+4 |
+8 |
Mercy |
2 |
2 |
1 |
— |
13th |
+13/+8/+3 |
+8 |
+4 |
+8 |
Smite Evil 5/day |
3 |
2 |
1 |
0 |
14th |
+14/+9/+4 |
+9 |
+4 |
+9 |
Aura of Faith |
3 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
15th |
+15/+10/+5 |
+9 |
+5 |
+9 |
Mercy |
3 |
2 |
2 |
1 |
16th |
+16/+11/+6/+1 |
+10 |
+5 |
+10 |
Smite Evil 6/day |
3 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
17th |
+17/+12/+7/+2 |
+10 |
+5 |
+10 |
Aura of Righteousness |
4 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
18th |
+18/+13/+8/+3 |
+11 |
+6 |
+11 |
Mercy |
4 |
3 |
2 |
2 |
19th |
+19/+14/+9/+4 |
+11 |
+6 |
+11 |
Smite Evil 7/day |
4 |
3 |
3 |
2 |
20th |
+20/+15/+10/+5 |
+12 |
+6 |
+12 |
Holy Champion |
4 |
4 |
3 |
3 |
Class Features
All of the following are class features of the paladin.
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Paladins are proficient with all simple and martial weapons, with all types of armor (heavy, medium, and light), and with shields (except tower shields).
Aura of Good (Ex): The power of a paladin's aura of good (see the detect good spell) is equal to her paladin level. An antipaladin who uses smite good on a paladin deals 2 points of damage per antipaladin level on his first successful attack.
Detect Evil (Sp): At will, a paladin can use detect evil, as the spell. A paladin can, as a move action, concentrate on a single item or individual within 60 feet and determine if it is evil, learning the strength of its aura as if having studied it for 3 rounds. While focusing on one individual or object, the paladin does not detect evil in any other object or individual within range.
Smite Evil (Su): 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 Cha 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, as indicated on Table: Paladin, to a maximum of seven times per day at 19th level.
Divine Grace (Su): At 2nd level, a paladin gains a bonus equal to her Charisma bonus (if any) on all Saving Throws.
Lay On Hands (Su): 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 1/2 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. Despite the name of this ability, a paladin only needs one free hand to use this ability.
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 (Su): 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 (Ex): At 3rd level, a paladin is immune to all diseases, including supernatural and magical diseases.
Mercy (Su): 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. A mercy can remove a condition caused by a curse, disease, or poison without curing the affliction. Such conditions return after 1 hour unless the mercy actually removes the affliction that causes the condition.
At 3rd level, the paladin can select from the following initial mercies.
- Fatigued: The target is no longer Fatigued.
- Shaken: The target is no longer Shaken.
- Sickened: The target is no longer Sickened.
At 6th level, a paladin adds the following mercies to the list of those that can be selected.
- Dazed: The target is no longer Dazed.
- Diseased: The paladin's lay on hands ability also acts as remove disease, using the paladin's level as the caster level.
- Staggered: The target is no longer Staggered, unless the target is at exactly 0 hit points.
At 9th level, a paladin adds the following mercies to the list of those that can be selected.
- Cursed: The paladin's lay on hands ability also acts as remove curse, using the paladin's level as the caster level.
- Exhausted: The target is no longer Exhausted. The paladin must have the fatigue mercy before selecting this mercy.
- Frightened: The target is no longer Frightened. The paladin must have the Shaken mercy before selecting this mercy.
- Nauseated: The target is no longer Nauseated. The paladin must have the Sickened mercy before selecting this mercy.
- Poisoned: The paladin's lay on hands ability also acts as neutralize poison, using the paladin's level as the caster level.
At 12th level, a paladin adds the following mercies to the list of those that can be selected.
- Blinded: The target is no longer Blinded.
- Deafened: The target is no longer Deafened.
- Paralyzed: The target is no longer Paralyzed.
- Stunned: The target is no longer Stunned.
These abilities are cumulative. For example, a 12th-level paladin's lay on hands ability heals 6d6 points of damage and might also cure Fatigued and Exhausted conditions as well as removing diseases and neutralizing poisons. Once a condition or spell effect is chosen, it can't be changed.
Channel Positive Energy (Su): When a paladin reaches 4th level, she gains the supernatural ability to channel positive energy like a cleric. Using this ability consumes two uses of her lay on hands ability. A paladin uses her level as her effective cleric level when channeling positive energy. This is a Charisma-based ability.
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 (Sp): Upon reaching 5th level, a paladin forms a divine bond with her god. This bond can take one of two forms. Once the form is chosen, it cannot be changed.
The first type of bond allows the paladin to enhance her weapon as a standard action by calling upon the aid of a celestial spirit for 1 minute per paladin level. When called, the spirit causes the weapon to shed 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. 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: axiomatic, brilliant energy, defending, disruption, flaming, flaming burst, holy, keen, merciful, and speed. Adding these properties consumes an amount of bonus equal to the property's cost (see Table: Melee Weapon Special Abilities). 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 spirit are determined when the spirit is called and cannot be changed until the spirit is called again. The celestial spirit imparts no bonuses if the weapon is held by anyone other than the paladin but resumes giving bonuses if returned to the paladin. These bonuses apply to only one end of a double weapon. 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.
If a weapon bonded with a celestial spirit is destroyed, the paladin loses the use of this ability for 30 days, or until she gains a level, whichever comes first. During this 30-day period, the paladin takes a –1 penalty on attack and weapon damage rolls.
The second type of bond allows a paladin to gain the service of an unusually intelligent, strong, and loyal steed to serve her in her crusade against evil. This mount is usually a heavy horse (for a Medium paladin) or a pony (for a Small paladin), although more exotic mounts, such as a boar, camel, or dog are also suitable. This mount functions as a druid's animal companion, using the paladin's level as her effective druid level. Bonded mounts have an Intelligence of at least 6.
Once per day, as a full-round action, a paladin may magically call her mount to her side. This ability is the equivalent of a spell of a level equal to one-third the paladin's level. The mount immediately appears adjacent to the paladin. A paladin can use this ability once per day at 5th level, and one additional time per day for every 4 levels thereafter, for a total of four times per day at 17th level.
At 11th level, the mount gains the celestial creature advanced simple template and becomes a magical beast for the purposes of determining which spells affect it.
At 15th level, a paladin's mount gains spell resistance equal to the paladin's level + 11.
Should the paladin's mount die, the paladin may not summon another mount for 30 days or until she gains a paladin level, whichever comes first. During this 30-day period, the paladin takes a –1 penalty on attack and weapon damage rolls.
Aura of Resolve (Su): 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 (Su): At 11th level, a paladin can expend two uses of her smite evil ability to grant the ability to smite evil to all allies within 10 feet, using her bonuses. Allies must use this smite evil ability by the start of the paladin's next turn and the bonuses last for 1 minute. Using this ability is a free action. Evil creatures gain no benefit from this ability.
Aura of Faith (Su): 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 (Su): 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 (Su): At 20th level, a paladin becomes a conduit for the power of her god. Her DR increases to 10/evil. Whenever she uses smite evil and successfully strikes an evil outsider, the outsider is also subject to a banishment, using her paladin level as the caster level (her weapon and holy 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 she channels positive energy or uses lay on hands to heal a creature, she heals the maximum possible amount.
Code of Conduct
A paladin must be of lawful good alignment and loses all class features except proficiencies if she ever willingly commits an evil act.
Additionally, a paladin's code requires that she respect legitimate authority, act with honor (not lying, not cheating, not using poison, and so forth), help those in need (provided they do not use the help for evil or chaotic ends), and punish those who harm or threaten innocents.
Associates: While she may adventure with good or neutral allies, a paladin avoids working with evil characters or with anyone who consistently offends her moral code. Under exceptional circumstances, a paladin can ally with evil associates, but only to defeat what she believes to be a greater evil. A paladin should seek an atonement spell periodically during such an unusual alliance, and should end the alliance immediately should she feel it is doing more harm than good. A paladin may accept only henchmen, followers, or cohorts who are lawful good.
Ex-Paladins: A paladin who ceases to be lawful good, who willfully commits an evil act, or who violates the code of conduct loses all paladin spells and class features (including the service of the paladin's mount, but not weapon, armor, and shield 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 (see atonement), as appropriate.
Holy warriors and defenders of the faith, paladins know that the only thing more abhorrent than an evil creature is a fundamentally good creature too timid to strive against the forces of darkness. Paladins are divine champions, gladly giving their lives in the service of light and justice, asking only that they may protect the innocent and cleanse the world to the best of their ability. Theirs is a hard path, requiring great sacrifice and ultimate devotion to a moral code, yet with her last breath a paladin can take comfort in a life of absolute righteousness.
Presented below are several variant class features to help flesh out common paladin Archetypes, the better to customize characters for fighting the good fight.
Archetypes
Divine Defender
Some paladins see themselves as the last line of defense between the teeming hordes of evil and the innocent folk trying to make a living in a harsh, unforgiving world. These defenders spend their lives protecting others and taking on foes that the common man should not even know exist. To aid them in their holy mission, they have special powers to protect themselves and those around them. The divine defender has the following class features.
Shared Defense (Su): At 3rd level, a divine defender can spend one use of her lay on hands ability as a standard action to grant all adjacent allies (including paladins) a bonus. At 3rd level, adjacent allies receive a +1 sacred bonus to their AC and CMD and on their saving throws. These bonuses last for a number of rounds equal to the divine defender’s Charisma modifier. At 9th level and 15th level, this bonus increases by +1. At 6th level, these bonuses are granted to all allies within 10 feet, and allies that are at fewer than 0 hit points within this area are automatically stabilized. At 12th level, these bonuses are granted to all allies within 15 feet, and allies within this area are immune to bleed damage. At 18th level, these bonuses are granted to all allies within 20 feet, and allies within this area gain a 25% chance to negate any sneak attack or critical hit scored against them. This ability does not stack with the chance provided from the light, medium, or heavy fortification armor special abilities. These bonuses are cumulative with each other. Allies only benefit from these bonuses while in the listed area. This ability replaces mercy.
Divine Bond (Su): At 5th level, instead of forming a divine bond with her weapon or a mount, a divine defender can form a bond with her armor. As a standard action, a divine defender can enhance her armor by calling upon the aid of a celestial spirit. This bond lasts for 1 minute per paladin level. When called, the spirit causes the armor to shed light like a torch. At 5th level, the spirit grants the armor a +1 enhancement bonus. For every three levels beyond 5th, the armor gains another +1 enhancement bonus, to a maximum of +6 at 20th level. These bonuses can be added to the armor, stacking with existing armor bonuses to a maximum of +3, or they can be used to add any of the following armor properties (asterisks note new armor properties found in Chapter 7 of the Advanced Player's Guide):
champion*, ghost touch, heavy fortification, invulnerability, light fortification, moderate fortification, spell resistance (13, 15, 17, or 19)
Adding these properties consumes an amount of bonus equal to the property’s cost (see Table 15–4 of the Core Rulebook). In addition, the bonuses can be consumed at the listed amount to add any of the following armor properties: energy resistance for +3 bonus, improved energy resistance for +5 bonus, or righteous* for +4 bonus. These bonuses are added to any properties the armor already has, but duplicate abilities do not stack. If the armor 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 spirit are determined when the spirit is called and cannot be changed until the spirit is called again. The celestial spirit imparts no bonuses if the armor is worn by anyone other than the divine defender, but it resumes giving bonuses if the divine defender dons the armor again. A divine defender 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 suit of armor with a celestial spirit is destroyed, the divine defender loses the use of this ability for 30 days, or until she gains a level, whichever comes first. During this 30-day period, the divine defender takes a –1 penalty on attack and weapon damage rolls.
Divine Hunter
Most paladins rush into battle, meeting evil toe-to-toe. The divine hunter prefers to engage evil from afar, striking down her foes before they can threaten her allies.
Precise Shot: A divine hunter gains Precise Shot as a bonus feat at 1st level, even if she doesn't meet the prerequisites. This ability replaces her Heavy Armor Proficiency.
Shared Precision (Su): At 3rd level, when a divine hunter hits a creature with a ranged attack, she grants her allies within 10 feet of her the benefit of the Precise Shot feat against that target until the start of her next turn. Her allies must remain within 10 feet of her, and must be able both to see and hear the divine hunter to gain this benefit. This ability replaces aura of courage.
Divine Bond (Su): At 5th level, a divine hunter forms a bond with her deity. This functions as the paladin's divine bond ability, except the bond must always take the form of a ranged or throwing weapon (excluding ammunition). In addition to the listed abilities, a divine hunter can add the distance, returning, or seeking special abilities to her weapon, but she cannot add the defending or disruption special abilities. Special abilities added to throwing weapons function normally when the weapon is used in melee. This ability replaces the standard paladin's divine bond.
Distant Mercy (Sp): At 6th level, a divine hunter can expend two uses of her lay on hand abilities to use her lay on hands ability on a target within 5 feet per paladin level. Distant mercy has no effect on creatures harmed by positive energy, such as undead. This ability replaces the paladin's 6th-level mercy.
Aura of Care (Su): At 8th level, a divine hunter and her allies gain a preternatural awareness of each other's position in battle. She and any allies within 10 feet of her no longer provide cover against each other's ranged attacks unless they wish to. Allies who cannot move or otherwise take actions still provide cover, as do flat-footed allies. The divine hunter and her allies must be able to see or hear each other to use this ability. This ability replaces aura of resolve.
Hunter's Blessing (Su): At 11th level, a divine hunter can expend a use of her smite evil ability as a swift action to grant herself and all allies within 10 feet the Deadly Aim, Precise Shot, and Improved Precise Shot feats, even if they lack the prerequisites. The effects last for 1 minute. Evil creatures gain no benefit from this ability. This ability replaces aura of justice.
Righteous Hunter (Su): At 14th level, a divine hunter's ranged weapons are treated as good-aligned for the purposes of overcoming damage reduction. Any ranged attacks made by an ally within 10 feet of her are likewise treated as good-aligned for the purposes of overcoming damage reduction. This ability functions only while the divine hunter is conscious and replaces aura of righteousness.
Empyreal Knight
The empyreal knight dedicates her life to serving the celestial beings that guide mortals in their struggle toward the light.
Voices of the Spheres: At 2nd level, an empyreal knight learns to speak and read Celestial, if she could not already. This ability replaces divine grace.
Celestial Heart (Su): As an empyreal knight advances, her ties with the celestial realms grant her a portion of the abilities and defenses of true angels. At 3rd level, she gains resistance 5 against acid, cold, and electricity. At 6th level, she gains a +4 racial bonus on saves against poison. At 9th level, her defenses improve to resistance 10 against acid, cold, and electricity. At 12th level, she gains immunity to petrification.
At 15th level, she gains truespeech, the ability to speak with any creature that has a language as though using a tongues spell. This ability functions with a caster level equal to her character level, and is always active.
At 18th level, as a swift action, the empyreal knight can manifest a protective aura against evil. Against abilities or effects created by evil creatures, this ability provides a +4 deflection bonus to AC and a +4 resistance bonus on saving throws to anyone within 20 feet of her. It otherwise functions as a magic circle against evil. She can use this ability for a maximum of 1 round per day per paladin level. These rounds do not need to be consecutive. These abilities replace mercy.
Celestial Ally (Sp): At 4th level, an empyreal knight can summon a celestial ally as a full-round action. This functions as summon monster I, except it can only be used to summon celestial creatures, archons, and angels. At 6th level, this improves to summon monster II, increasing by one spell level for every two levels thereafter, to a maximum of summon monster IX at 20th level. This ability can be used a number of times per day equal to the empyreal knight's Charisma modifier (minimum 1), but only one ally can be summoned at a time. This ability replaces lay on hands and channel positive energy.
Divine Bond (Su): At 5th level, an empyreal knight forms a bond with a mount, as the standard paladin ability. Her mount gains the celestial template at 8th level. At 12th level, her mount sprouts wings if it cannot already fly, and gains a fly speed of twice its land speed and good maneuverability. If the mount could already fly, its fly speed and maneuverability improve to at least this level. This ability otherwise functions as the paladin ability of the same name.
Empyreal Champion: At 20th level, an empyreal knight transcends her mortal self. Her DR increases to 10/evil. Her type is treated as outsider for the purposes of spells and magical effects. She gains darkvision 60 feet and low-light vision. As a standard action and a supernatural ability, she can sprout wings that allow her to fly at twice her land speed with average maneuverability. Any armor or clothing reshapes to allow her to fly when she uses this ability. She can retract the wings as a free action. Unlike other outsiders, an empyreal knight can still be brought back from the dead as if she were a member of her previous creature type. This ability replaces holy champion.
Holy Gun
Not all paladins are knights in shining armor. Holy guns roam the world searching for evil. And where they find it, they put it down.
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Holy guns are proficient with all simple and martial weapons, firearms, and light armor.
Have Gun: At 1st level, the holy gun gains the Amateur Gunslinger feat and Gunsmithing as a bonus feat. She also gains a battered gun identical to the one gained by the gunslinger. This ability replaces detect evil.
Divine Deed: At 2nd level, the holy gun gains the following deed. This deed works and interacts with grit the same way as gunslinger deeds, but only the holy gun can use it. If the holy gun also has levels in gunslinger, she can spend grit points from that class to use this deed.
Smiting Shot (Su): A holy gun can spend 1 grit point to make a smiting shot with a firearm attack as a standard action. If the target is evil, the holy gun adds her Charisma bonus and her paladin level to the damage of the firearm attack. If the target of the smiting shot is an outsider with the evil subtype, an evil-aligned dragon, or an undead creature, the bonus to damage increases to the Charisma modifier plus 2 points of damage per level the paladin possess. Regardless of the target, smiting shot automatically bypasses any DR the creature might have. This ability replaces smite evil.
Divine Bond: At 5th level, a holy gun forms a bond with her deity. This functions as the paladin's divine bond ability, except the bond must always take the form of a firearm. In addition to the listed abilities, a holy gun can add the distance, reliable, or seeking special abilities to her weapon, but she cannot add the defending or disruption special abilities. This ability replaces the standard paladin's divine bond.
Holy Grit (Ex): At 11th level, a holy gun gains a number of grit points equal to her Charisma modifier (minimum 1) and gains the use of a single gunslinger deed. She can select any deed that a gunslinger of her paladin level –4 could use. At 14th level, and every three levels beyond 14th, the holy gun gains another point of grit and another gunslinger deed that a gunslinger of her level –4 could use. If she already has levels in gunslinger, she gains a bonus to the maximum amount of grit she can have each day, equal to her Charisma bonus (if any) but gains no extra grit as the start of each day.
Holy Slinger (Ex): This ability function like the holy champion paladin class feature, but the banishment occurs when she hits an evil outsider with the smiting shot deed.
Holy Tactician
The holy tactician inspires her allies on the field of battle. Her place is at their side against overwhelming odds, and her guidance brings out their true potential.
Weal's Champion (Su): Once per day as swift action, a holy tactician can call on the powers of good to aid her against evil. Against evil targets, the holy tactician gains her Charisma bonus (if any) on her attack rolls against evil creatures, and if she hits, she adds 1/2 her paladin level on her weapon damage rolls as well. These bonuses last for 1 round for every two paladin levels the holy tactician has attained (minimum 1 round).
In addition, for 1 round after the holy tactician successfully strikes an evil creature, all non-evil allies within 30 feet of her gain a competence bonus on attack rolls equal to 1/2 her Charisma bonus against that creature as well as a +1 competence bonus on damage rolls. The bonus on damage rolls increases by +1 for every five levels the holy tactician attains (to a maximum of +5 at 20th level). She can grant this bonus against more than one creature at a time. To gain this benefit, the holy tactician's allies must be able to see or hear her, and she must be conscious.
At 4th level, and every three levels thereafter, the holy tactician may use weal's champion one additional time per day (to a maximum of seven times per day at 19th level). This ability replaces smite evil.
Tactical Acumen (Ex): At 3rd level, a holy tactician gains a teamwork feat as a bonus feat. She must meet the prerequisites for this feat. She gains an additional bonus feat for every four levels attained after 3rd, to a maximum of five bonus feats at 19th level. This ability replaces divine health and divine bond.
Battlefield Presence (Su): At 3rd level, a tactician can direct her allies in battle, granting each ally within 30 feet one teamwork feat she possesses as a bonus feat as a standard action. All allies must receive the same feat, but do not need to meet the prerequisites of this bonus feat. This ability does not function if the paladin is flat-footed or unconscious. Allies must be able to see and hear the holy tactician in order to gain this benefit. Changing the bonus feat granted is a swift action. This ability replaces aura of courage.
Guide the Battle (Ex): At 8th level, the paladin can direct her allies into an advantageous position once per round as a move action. Each ally (if physically able to) can move 5 feet without expending an action. This movement does not provoke attacks of opportunity. The allies must be able to see or hear the paladin in order to make this movement and cannot be flat-footed. At 15th level, her allies can make this 5-foot move and ignore difficult terrain. This ability replaces aura of resolve.
Weal's Wrath (Su): At 11th level, a tactician can expend two uses of her weal's champion ability at once to enhance its effects. This functions as weal's champion, except the bonus she provides to her allies lasts until each creature she strikes is slain, her weal's champion ability expires, or the paladin herself is slain or knocked unconscious, whichever happens first. This ability replaces aura of justice.
Masterful Presence (Su): At 20th level, a tactician gains the ability to grant a different bonus feat to each ally affected by her battlefield presence. In addition, all critical threats made by her and her allies against creatures affected by her weal's champion ability are automatically confirmed (no confirmation roll is needed). This ability replaces holy champion.
Hospitaler
Paladins are known for their charity and for tending to the sick. The hospitaler takes to this calling above all others, spending much of her time healing the poor, and giving aid and succor to those in need. The hospitaler has the following class features.
Smite Evil (Su): This functions as the paladin ability, but the hospitaler can smite evil one additional time per day at 7th level, and every six levels thereafter (instead of 4th level and every three levels thereafter).
Channel Positive Energy (Su): When a hospitaler reaches 4th level, she gains the ability to channel positive energy as a cleric equal to her paladin level –3. She can use this ability a number of times per day equal to 3 + her Charisma modifier. Using this ability does not expend uses of lay on hands, as it does with other paladins. This ability replaces the standard paladin’s channel positive energy ability.
Aura of Healing (Su): At 11th level, a hospitaler can expend one use of her channel positive energy ability to emit a 30-foot aura of healing for a number of rounds equal to her paladin level. Allies in this aura (including the hospitaler) automatically stabilize if below 0 hit points and are immune to bleed damage. In addition, allies (including the paladin) that spend at least 1 full round inside the aura are healed an amount of damage equal to their total number of Hit Dice and may make a saving throw against any afflictions they are suffering from, such as a curse, disease, or poison. This saving throw only counts toward curing the affliction and does not impose any penalty on a failed save. Allies can only be healed once by a use of this ability and they can only attempt additional saving throws once per day, even if they are exposed to this aura multiple times. This ability replaces aura of justice.
Sacred Servant
Paladins as a general rule, venerate the gods of good and purity, but some take this a step further, dedicating themselves to a specific deity and furthering the cause of the faith. These sacred servants are rewarded for their devotion with additional spells and powerful allies. A sacred servant must select one deity to worship. This deity’s alignment must be lawful good, lawful neutral, or neutral good. A sacred servant has the following class features.
Smite Evil (Su): This functions as the paladin ability, but the sacred servant can smite evil one additional time per day at 7th level, and every six levels thereafter (instead of 4th level and every three levels thereafter). This ability replaces smite evil.
Spells: At 4th level, when a sacred servant gains the ability to cast spells, she also chooses one domain associated with her deity. Her effective cleric level for this domain is equal to her paladin level –3. In addition, she also gains one domain spell slot for each level of paladin spells she can cast. Every day she must prepare the domain spell from her chosen domain in that spell slot.
Divine Bond (Su): At 5th level, instead of forming a divine bond with her weapon or a mount, a sacred servant forms a bond with her holy symbol. As a standard action, a sacred servant can bind a celestial spirit to her holy symbol for 1 minute per paladin level. When called, the spirit causes the sacred servant’s holy symbol to shed light like a torch. At 5th level, the spirit grants one bonus. For every three levels beyond 5th, the spirit grants one additional bonus. These bonuses can be spent in a number of ways to grant the paladin enhanced abilities to channel positive energy and to cast spells. Each bonus can be used to grant one of the following enhancements: +1 caster level to any paladin spell cast, +1 to the DC to halve the damage of channel positive energy when used to harm undead, +1d6 to channel positive energy, +1 use/day of lay on hands. These enhancements stack and can be selected multiple times. The enhancements granted by the spirit are determined when the spirit is called and cannot be changed until the spirit is called again. If the sacred servant increases her number of uses of lay on hands per day in this way, that choice is set for the rest of the day, and once used, these additional uses are not restored (even if the spirit is called again that day). The celestial spirit imparts no enhancements if the holy symbol is held by anyone other than the sacred servant, but resumes giving enhancements if returned to the sacred servant. A sacred servant 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 holy symbol with a celestial spirit is destroyed, the sacred servant loses the use of this ability for 30 days, or until she gains a level, whichever comes first. During this 30-day period, the sacred servant takes a –1 penalty on attack and weapon damage rolls.
Call Celestial Ally (Sp): At 8th level, a sacred servant can call upon her deity for aid, in the form of a powerful servant. This allows the sacred servant to cast lesser planar ally once per week as a spell-like ability without having to pay the material component cost or the servant (for reasonable tasks). At 12th level, this improves to planar ally and at 16th level, this improves to greater planar ally. The sacred servant’s caster level for this effect is equal to her paladin level. This ability replaces aura of resolve.
Shining Knight
While paladins often are seen mounted atop a loyal steed, the shining knight is the true symbol of mounted bravery. They are never far from their steeds and are always clad in brightly polished armor. The shining knight has the following class features.
Skilled Rider (Ex and Su): At 3rd level, a shining knight does not take any penalty to her Ride skill due to her armor check penalty. In addition, any mount she is riding gains the benefit of her divine grace class feature, adding her Charisma bonus (if any) to its saving throws. This ability replaces divine health.
Divine Bond (Su): Upon reaching 5th level, a shining knight must form a bond with a mount. This ability otherwise functions as the paladin ability.
Knight’s Charge (Su): At 11th level, whenever a mounted shining knight charges a foe, her movement does not provoke attacks of opportunity, for either her or her mount. In addition, if her target is also the target of her smite evil ability and the charge attack hits, the target must make a Will save or be panicked for a number of rounds equal to 1/2 the shining knight’s level. The DC of this save is equal to 10 + 1/2 the shining knight’s level + the shining knight’s Charisma modifier. This ability replaces aura of justice.
Undead Scourge:
Undead are an abomination in the eyes of the just and righteous. It is no surprise then that there are some paladins that dedicate themselves to wiping these unholy terrors from the world. The following are the class features of the undead scourge.
Smite Evil (Su): This functions as the paladin ability of the same name, but the undead scourge does not deal 2 points of damage per level on the first successful attack against evil dragons and evil outsiders. She does deal 2 points of damage per level on all smite attacks made against evil undead creatures.
Aura of Life (Su): At 8th level, an undead scourge emits a 10-foot aura of life around her that weakens undead creatures. Undead in this aura take a –4 penalty on Will saves made to resist positive energy. In addition, undead in this aura do not regain hit points from channeled negative energy. This ability replaces aura of resolve.
Undead Annihilation (Su): At 11th level, an undead scourge can expend one use of her smite evil ability as a standard action and make a single melee attack against an undead creature. If this attack hits, the undead creature must make a Will save or be destroyed. The save DC is equal to 10 + 1/2 the undead scourge’s level + the undead scourge’s Charisma modifier. Undead with twice as many Hit Dice as the undead scourge are unaffected by this ability. If the attack misses, the smite evil is wasted without effect. This ability replaces aura of justice.
Warrior of the Holy Light
Some paladins use their gifts to focus on the holy light that shines within their souls. With the gifts of purity and redemption, these paladins spend much of their lives helping others find the true path. Unleashing this power takes patience and comes at a steep price. Warriors of the holy light have the following class features.
Power of Faith (Su): At 4th level, a warrior of the holy light learns to use the power of her faith to bolster her defenses and aid her allies. This class feature replaces the paladin’s spells class feature. A warrior of the holy light does not gain any spells or spellcasting abilities, does not have a caster level, and cannot use spell trigger or spell completion magic items.
At 4th level, the warrior of the holy light gains one additional use of her lay on hands ability per day. She gains one additional use of lay on hands per day for every four levels she attains beyond 4th. She can call upon the power of her faith as a standard action. This causes a nimbus of light to emanate from the warrior of the holy light in a 30-foot radius. All allies in this area (including the warrior of the holy light) receive a +1 morale bonus to AC and on attack rolls, damage rolls, and saving throws against fear as long as they remain in the area of light. This power lasts for 1 minute.
At 8th level, the nimbus of light heals the paladin and her allies, curing of them of 1d4 points of ability damage, as per the spell lesser restoration. A creature can only be healed in this way once per day.
At 12th level, the nimbus of light is treated as daylight for the purposes of affecting creatures with sensitivity to light. In addition, the nimbus grants allies in the area resistance 10 to one type of energy, selected by the warrior of the holy light when this power is activated.
At 16th level, the nimbus of light grants the warrior of the holy light and her allies protection from critical hits. There is a 25% chance that critical hits made against the warrior of the holy light and her allies in the area are instead treated as normal hits. This does not stack with other abilities that grant similar protection (such as light fortification).
At 20th level, the nimbus of light increases in size out to a range of 60 feet. In addition, all of its bonuses increase. The morale bonus to AC and on attack rolls, damage rolls, and saving throws against fear increases to +2. The amount of ability damage healed increases to 2d4. The energy resistance increases to 20 against one energy type. Finally, protection against critical hits increases to 50%.
Shining Light (Su): At 14th level, a warrior of the holy light can unleash a 30-foot burst of pure, white light as a standard action. evil creatures within this burst take 1d6 points of damage for every two paladin levels and are blinded for 1 round. Evil dragons, evil outsiders, and evil undead are blinded for 1d4 rounds on a failed save. A Reflex save halves this damage and negates the blindness. The DC of this save is equal to 10 + 1/2 the warrior of the holy light’s level + the warrior of the holy light’s Charisma modifier. good creatures within this burst are healed 1d6 points of damage per two paladin levels and receive a +2 sacred bonus on ability checks, attack rolls, saving throws, and skill checks for 1 round. A warrior of the holy light can use this ability once per day at 14th level plus one additional time per day at 17th and 20th levels. This ability replaces aura of faith.