Campaign Design - Prestige Classes: Prestige Paladin of Freedom

Paladin of Freedom (adapted from Unearthed Arcana)

After training in the arts of combat and the mysteries of the divine, the prestige paladin of freedom is anointed as a holy warrior dedicated to the protection of chaos and goodness. Most prestige paladins of freedom are clerics, favored souls, fighter/clerics, or fighter/favored souls though rare cleric/barbarians or favored soul/barbarians might pursue this path as well. Prestige paladins are usually dedicated to a chaotic good deity - Caire, Brid, and Þunor are most common. Many are lone wanderers, opposing tyranny and oppression while walking the earth. Compared to the standard paladin, the prestige paladin of freedom gives up a small amount of combat prowess in exchange for a larger spell list and a higher top end of his spell casting powers. Also, his class features aren't quite as powerful as the standard paladin's as a result of his reduced paladin class level.

In the Freeholds, the paladin of freedom class represents the basic holy warrior devoted (usually) to Caire, Brid, and Þunor, although some venerate Aíne, Syfa, or Yng. While many chaotically aligned orders and sects have their own unique training emphasizing those attributes most important to the veneration of their patron celestial, virtually all train paladins of freedom. Some groups emphasize training paladins more than others, and many see the initial training for paladin status as merely a starting point for the real indoctrination in the ways of that particular order. Although it would theoretically possible for followers of Eiur or Woda to train as paladins of freedom, such individuals would be exceptionally rare, in part because of Eiur's somewhat pacifistic creed being at odds with the idea of holy warriors devoted to her service.

Although the standard rules allow for “ecumenical” paladins devoted to no particular deity, but instead representing the power of good, I require that paladins follow a particular celestial. Most paladins of freedom are not members of one of the many holy orders of warrior-knights, preferring to walk their own individualistic path.

Hit Die: d10.
Luck Die: d4.

Requirements
To qualify to become a prestige paladin of freedom, a character must fulfill all the following criteria.

• Alignment: Chaotic Good.
• Base Attack Bonus: +4.
• Skills: Knowledge: Religion 2+ ranks, Knowledge: Nobility and Royalty 2+ ranks, Ride 4+ ranks.
• Feats: Mounted Combat.
• Spell casting: Ability to cast protection from evil as a divine spell.

Class Skills

• Skill List: The prestige paladin's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Bluff (Cha), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Handle Animal (Cha), Heal (Wis), Knowledge: Nobility and Royalty) (Int), Knowledge: Religion (Int), Profession (Wis), Ride (Dex), and Sense Motive (Wis).
• Note: Because the Three Worlds campaign uses the Skills by Character house rule, the list of class skills given here is only included for the sake of completeness, and is not used by characters in the campaign setting.
• Skill Points at Each Level: 2 + Intelligence modifier.

Class Features
All the following are class features of the prestige paladin of freedom class.

• Base Attack Bonus: Good. A prestige paladin of freedom gains +1 base attack bonus per class level.


• Base Fortitude Save Bonus: Good. A prestige paladin of freedom gains a +½ base Fortitude save bonus per class level.


• Base Reflex Save Bonus: Poor. A prestige paladin of freedom gains a +¹⁄₃ base Reflex save bonus per class level.


• Base Will Save Bonus: Poor. A prestige paladin of freedom gains a +¹⁄₃ base Will save bonus per class level.


• Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Paladins of freedom are proficient with all simple and martial weapons, with all types of armor (heavy, medium, and light), and with shields (except tower shields). Armor check penalties for armor heavier than leather apply to the skills Balance, Climb, Escape Artist, Hide, Jump, Move Silently, Pick Pocket, and Tumble.
  
  
  
  • Option - Smiting Arrow: A paladin of freedom can choose to give up their proficiency with heavy armor and shields in exchange for the ability to smite evil with ranged attacks at up to 30 feet. Once made, this choice may not be changed thereafter.


• Spells per Day: A prestige paladin of freedom's training focuses on divine spell casting. At every odd numbered level reached, the prestige paladin of freedom gains new spells per day as if he had also gained a level in whatever divine spell casting class he belonged to before he added the prestige class.


• Spells: The prestige paladin of freedom adds some spells to his class spell list for any one divine spell casting class he belonged to before he added the prestige class. Regardless of his original divine spell casting class, he adds the following spells to his list of available spells for that class. He still needs to prepare (and, if appropriate, learn) these additional spells to cast them, and for all other purposes he is treated exactly as a caster of the appropriate level in his original divine spell casting class with respect to what spells are on his class spell list.


• 1^st Level: Alternate silvered weapon, blaze of light, bless weapon, clear mind, deafening clang, divine sacrifice, find temple, gaze of truth, golden barding, holy spurs, know greatest enemy, lesser one mind, lionheart, moment of clarity, protection from law, rhino's rush, second wind, sense heretic, silverbeard, sticky saddle, strategic charge, swift bless weapon, traveler’s mount, warning shout.
• 2^nd Level: Angelskin, aura of glory, call mount, holy mount, loyal vassal, one mind, steed of the seas, strength of stone, zeal.
• 3^rd Level: Blessing of Bahamut, diamondsteel, find the gap, forceward, greater one mind, heal mount, magic circle against law, mind bond, regal procession, remove curse, righteous fury, smite heretic, word of binding.
• 4^th Level: Dispel law, door to great evil, draconic might, favor of the martyr, freedom of movement, glory to the martyr, holy sword, righteous sword, sacred haven, seek eternal rest, spiritual chariot, winged mount.


In addition, a paladin of freedom can never prepare or cast any of the following spells: death ward, discern lies, dispel chaos, magic circle against chaose, or protection from chaos.



• Divine Sight: At 1^st level, the paladin pf freedom gains the power to see evil or law. The paladin must choose one of these two options, and once made, this choice may not be changed thereafter.
  
  
  
  • Detect Evil (Sp): At will, a paladin with this ability can use detect evil, as the spell.
  
  
  • Detect Law (Sp): At will, a paladin with this ability can use detect law, as the spell.


• Vengeance of Freedom: At 1^st level, a paladin of freedom is granted power to aid her crusade against evil. The paladin of freedom must choose one of the following two options. Once made, this choice may not be changed thereafter.
  
  
  
  • Hunter of Fiends (Ex): A paladin of freedom with this ability gains outsider (evil) as a favored enemy. The paladin gains a bonus equal to half their divine caster level (minimum 1) on Bluff, Listen, Sense Motive, Spot, and Survival checks when using these skills against creatures of this type. Likewise, he gets a +2 bonus on weapon damage rolls against such creatures. In addition, the paladin gains Track as a bonus feat and the paladin may treat Survival and Knowledge: the Planes as class skills.
  
  
  • Smite Evil (Su): Once per day, a paladin of freedom with this ability may attempt to smite evil with one normal melee attack. She adds her Charisma bonus (if any) to her attack roll and deals 1 extra point of damage per paladin level. If the paladin accidentally smites a creature that is not evil, the smite has no effect, but the ability is still used up for that day. At 5^th level, and at every five levels thereafter, the paladin may smite evil one additional time per day, to a maximum of four times per day at 15^th level.


• Turn Undead (Su): A paladin of freedom gains the supernatural ability to turn undead. She may use this ability a number of times per day equal to 3 + her Charisma modifier. She turns undead as a cleric of a level equal to her paladin of freedom levels. For the purpose of determining her ability to turn undead, a prestige paladin's class levels stack with her levels from all his other classes from which she has gained the ability to turn undead. For instance, a 4^th-level fighter/1^st-level cleric/2^nd-level prestige paladin of freedom would turn undead as a 3^rd-level cleric.
  
  
  
  A paladin with cleric levels who has selected one of the alternative abilities to replace their turn undead ability does not stack their cleric and paladin of freedom levels to turn undead. Instead, their paladin levels stack with their cleric levels for determining the effectiveness of their alternative ability. In addition, any paladin that does not already have the turn undead ability (such as a paladin who was a favored soul before becoming a paladin) may select one of the alternative abilities appropriate to their divine patron in place of the ability to turn undead.


• Divine Grace (Su): At 2^nd level, a paladin of freedom gains a bonus equal to her Charisma bonus (if any) on all saving throws.


• Lay on Hands (Su): Beginning at 2^nd level, a paladin of freedom with a Charisma score of 12 or higher can heal wounds (her own or those of others) by touch. Each day she can heal a total number of hit points of damage equal to her (paladin level + 3) × her Charisma bonus. A paladin may choose to divide her healing among multiple recipients, and she doesn’t have to use it all at once. Using lay on hands is a standard action. Alternatively, a paladin can use any or all of this healing power to deal damage to undead creatures. Using lay on hands in this way requires a successful melee touch attack and doesn’t provoke an attack of opportunity. The paladin decides how many of her daily allotment of points to use as damage after successfully touching an undead creature.


• Divine Gift: Upon reaching 2^nd level, a paladin of freedom gains one of the three divine gifts listed below. Once the choice is made, it cannot be changed thereafter.
  
  
  
  • Charging Smite (Su): If a paladin with this ability smites evil as part of a charge attack, they deal an extra 2 points of damage per divine caster level to any evil creature they strike (in addition to the normal bonus damage dealt by a smite). If the charge attack misses, the smite ability is not considered used.
  
  
  • Special Mount (Sp): A paladin with this ability can call an unusually intelligent, strong, and loyal steed to serve him or her in her crusade against evil. This mount is usually a heavy warhorse (for a Medium-size paladin) or a warpony (for a Small paladin). Should the paladin's mount die, another cannot be called for a year and a day. The new mount has all the accumulated abilities due a mount of the paladin's level.
  
  
  • Weapon of Arborea: A paladin with this ability gains a weapon forged by a celestial. The weapon must be the divine patron's favored weapon. The crafter requires that the paladin name the weapon. The paladin can summon the weapon to her hand or return it to its resting place in the forges of Heaven as a free action, and you can call it to your hand even if it is not in its resting place (such as if you have been disarmed). The paladin may call this weapon a number of times per day eqaul to 1 + her Wisdom modifier (minimum of once per day). Whatever its kind, the weapon is of intricate and unearthly beauty, although the paladin is bound by oath never to sell the weapon or give it to another creature (even to loan it to a friend). The weapon is a +1 weapon of its kind at 2^nd level. When the wielder becomes a 5^th level paladin, it becomes a +2 weapon, when she becomes a 10^th level paladin, the weapon becomes a +2 holy weapon, and when she becomes a 15^th level paladin, the weapon becomes a +2 anarchic holy weapon. It overcomes damage reduction as if it were good aligned and cure spells and other healing magic repair damage to is as if it were a living creature. The paladin may expend money and experience points to enhance the weapon as if she had the Craft Magic arms and Armor feat (on top of what the weapon is through this ability). If the weapon is ever destroyed, a different celestial weaponsmith crafts the paladin of freedom a new weapon, presenting it to her a year and a day after the previous weapon was destroyed.


• Divine Resolve (su): The paladin of freedom becomes immune to compulsion effects (magical or otherwise). This ability functions while the paladin is conscious, but not if she is unconscious or dead.


• Activate Aura (Su): At 3^rd level, a paladin gains an aura. The aura extends from the paladin in a radius equal to 5 feet per point of Charisma bonus (with a minimum of 5 feet), and affects the paladin and all allies within the area. Activating an aura is a free action, and a paladin can only have one aura active at one time. The aura lasts for 1 round per paladin level. At 3^rd level a paladin may activate their aura one time per day, but gains the ability to activate his aura more often as he progresses in level. The paladin gains a second aura at 9^rd level, and a third aura at 14^rd level. Some auras mimic spells of the name name: These auras' effects do not stack with the spells' effects.


• Aura of Banishment: Only evil outsiders can feel this aura and suffer from its effects. No evil outsider with fewer Hit Dice than the paladin's character level can be summoned into this area, nor can such creatures use summonings or teleporting effects. In addition, this aura grants the paladin of freedom a +2 bonus on bluff checks against evil outsiders.


• Aura of Might: The paladin of freedom and all her allies gain a +1 sacred bonus to damage rolls for every 3 of her paladin levels, to a maximum of +5 at level 15.


• Aura of Devotion: The paladin of freedom and her allies receive a +1 deflection bonus to Armor Class for every 3 of her paladin levels, to a maximum of +5 at level 15.


• Aura of Healing: The paladin of freedom and her allies gain fast healing 1 for the duration of the aura. Paladins devoted to Eiur must select this aura with the selection they gain at 3^rd level.


• Aura of Retribution: Whenever a creature deals damage with a melee attack to the paladin or one of her allies, it takes 2d4 points of holy damage +1 point per the paladin of freedom's Charisma bonus (if any). The base damage increases to 3d4 at 10^th level and 4d4 at 15^th level.


• Aura of Resolve: When the aura of resolve is activated, each ally within the aura of the paladin paladin of freedom gains a +4 morale bonus on saving throws against compulsion effects.


• Aura of Resistance: The paladin and her allies gain spell resistance equal to 5 + her paladin of freedom class level.


• Aura of Sanctity: When the aura of sanctity is activated, the paladin of freedom must choose one of the following effects: fear effects (including possession), death effects, or petrification. While the aura is in effect the paladin is immune to the chosen effect and allies within the area of the aura gain a +4 bonus on saves against the chosen effect.


• Aura of Wisdom: The paladin of freedom and her allies each regain one prepared spell or spell slot of a level equal to the highest level spell that the paladin can cast.


• Divine Benison: At 3^rd level, a paladin of freedom gains one of the following two abilities. Once this choice is made, it may not be changed thereafter.
  
  
  
  • Angel's Sight (Ex): A paladin of freedom with this ability gains darkvision with a range of 60 feet and low-light vision. If the paladin already has one of these senses, they gain no additional bonus from this ability.
  
  
  • Divine Health (Ex): A paladin of freedom with this ability gains immunity to all diseases, including supernatural and magical diseases.


• Remove Disease (Sp): At 4^th level, a paladin of freedom can produce a remove disease effect, as the spell, once per week. She can use this ability one additional time per week for every four levels after 4^th (twice per week at 8^th and three times at 12^th).


• Crusader Strike (Ex): At 5^th level, a paladin with the smite evil ability can string together multiple smite evil strikes. Each smite evil strike beyond the first deals additional damage equal to her Charisma bonus (if any) for each previous smite evil strike against that creature.


• Weapon of Justice: At 7^th level, a paladin gains Weapon Focus and Weapon Specialization with her divine patron's favored weapon, if she does not already have those feats.


• Code of Conduct: A paladin must be of chaotic good alignment and loses all class abilities if she ever willingly commits an evil act. Additionally, a paladin’s code requires that she oppose tyranny and oppression, seek to liberate slaves whenever possible, help those in need (provided they do not use the help for evil or lawful ends), and punish those who harm or threaten innocents.


• Associates: While she may adventure with characters of any good or neutral alignment, a paladin will never knowingly associate with evil characters, nor will she continue an association with someone who consistently offends her moral code. A paladin of freedom may accept only henchmen, followers, or cohorts who are chaotic good.

Prestige Paladin

Level	Special	Spells per Day
1st	Divine sight, holy vengeance, turn undead	+1 level of existing divine spell casting class
2nd	Divine grace, lay on hands, divine gift	-
3rd	Activate aura once per day, divine courage, divine benison	+1 level of existing divine spell casting class
4th	Remove disease once per week	-
5th	Crusader strike	+1 level of existing divine spell casting class
6th	-	-
7th	Weapon of justice	+1 level of existing divine spell casting class
8th	Remove disease twice per week	-
9th	Activate aura twice per day, second aura	+1 level of existing divine spell casting class
10th	-	-
11th	-	+1 level of existing divine spell casting class
12th	Remove disease three times per week	-
13th	-	+1 level of existing divine spell casting class
14th	Activate aura three times per day, third aura	-
15th	-	+1 level of existing divine spell casting class

The Paladin of Freedom's Mount
The paladin’s mount is superior to a normal mount of its kind and has special powers, as described below. The standard mount for a Medium paladin is a heavy warhorse, and the standard mount for a Small paladin is a warpony. Another kind of mount, such as a riding dog (for a halfling paladin) or a Large shark (for a paladin in an aquatic campaign) may be allowed as well. A paladin’s mount is treated as a magical beast, not an animal, for the purpose of all effects that depend on its type (though it retains an animal’s Hit Dice, base attack bonus, saves, skill points, and feats).

Paladin Level	Bonus Hit Dice	Natural Armor Adjustment	Strength Adj.	Intelligence	Special
2nd-4th	+2	+4	+1	6	Empathic link, improved evasion, share spells, share saving throws
5th-7th	+4	+6	+2	7	Improved speed
8th-10th	+6	+8	+3	8	Command creatures of its kind
11th-15th	+8	+10	+4	9	Spell resistance

• Paladin Level: The level of the paladin. If the mount suffers a level drain, treat it as a mount of a lower-level paladin.
• Bonus Hit Dice: These are extra eight-sided (d8) Hit Dice, each of which gains a Constitution modifier, as normal. Extra Hit Dice improve the mount’s base attack and base save bonuses. A special mount’s base attack bonus is equal to that of a cleric of a level equal to the mount’s HD. A mount has good Fortitude and Reflex saves (treat it as a character whose level equals the animal’s HD). The mount gains additional skill points or feats for bonus HD as normal for advancing a monster’s Hit Dice.
• Natural Armor Adjustment: The number listed here is an improvement to the mount's AC. It represents the preternatural toughness of a paladin's mount.
• Strength Adjustment: Add this figure to the mount's Strength score.
• Intelligence: The mount's Intelligence score.
• Improved Evasion (Ex): If the mount is subjected to an attack that normally allows a Reflex saving throw for half damage, it takes no damage if it makes a successful saving throw and half damage even if the saving throw fails.
• Empathic Link (Su): The paladin has an empathic link with the mount out to a distance of up to one mile. The paladin cannot see through the mount's eyes, but they can communicate telepathically. Even intelligent mounts see the world differently from humans, so misunderstandings are always possible. Because of the empathic link between the mount and the paladin, the paladin has the same connection to an item or place that the mount does, just as a master and his familiar.
• Share Spells: At the paladin’s option, she may have any spell (but not any spell-like ability) she casts on herself also affect her mount. The mount must be within 5 feet at the time of casting to receive the benefit. If the spell or effect has a duration other than instantaneous, it stops affecting the mount if it moves farther than 5 feet away and will not affect the mount again even if it returns to the paladin before the duration expires. Additionally, the paladin may cast a spell with a target of "You" on her mount (as a touch range spell) instead of on herself. A paladin and her mount can share spells even if the spells normally do not affect creatures of the mount’s type (magical beast).
• Share Saving Throws: For each of its saving throws, the mount uses its own base save bonus or the paladin’s, whichever is higher. The mount applies its own ability modifiers to saves, and it doesn’t share any other bonuses on saves that the master might have.
• Improved Speed (Ex): The mount’s speed increases by +10 feet.
• Command (Sp): Once per day per two paladin levels of its master, a mount can use this ability to command other any normal animal of approximately the same kind as itself (for warhorses and warponies, this category includes donkeys, mules, and ponies), as long as the target creature has fewer Hit Dice than the mount. This ability functions like the command spell, but the mount must make a DC 21 Concentration check to succeed if it’s being ridden at the time. If the check fails, the ability does not work that time, but it still counts against the mount’s daily uses. Each target may attempt a Will save (DC 10 + ½ paladin’s level + paladin’s Charisma modifier) to negate the effect.
• Spell Resistance (Ex): A mount’s spell resistance equals its master’s paladin level + 8. To affect the mount with a spell, a spell caster must get a result on a caster level check (1d20 + caster level) that equals or exceeds the mount’s spell resistance.

Ex-Paladins of Freedom: A paladin of freedom who ceases to be chaotic good, who willfully commits an evil act, or who grossly violates the code of conduct loses all paladin spells and abilities (including the service of the paladin’s mount, but not weapon, armor, and shield proficiencies). She may not progress any farther in levels as a paladin. She regains her abilities and advancement potential if she atones for her violations (see the atonement spell description), as appropriate.

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