Paladin archetype

Oaths

The following are a selection of oaths for the oathbound paladin archetype. Other oaths may exist, particularly in regard to specific campaign enemies or events (such as elimination of an assassin’s guild or the destruction of an evil temple).

Oath against Corruption More insidious than meddling devils and more destructive than rampaging hordes are the strange alien entities that bubble up from the deep earth and the strange places beyond the sky. When a paladin takes this oath, she becomes a hunter of aberrations, protecting the common people from these bizarre threats. Often the paladin works in secret, not wanting to spread panic about her mission. Within cities they sometimes have underground bases that give access through the sewers and passages to strange vaults where the aberrant creatures live.

Deities: Abadar, Sarenrae, Shelyn, Torag. Aura of Purity (Su): At 3rd level, you gain a +4 sacred bonus on saves against spells and effects from creatures of the aberration type. Allies within 10 feet gain a +1 sacred bonus on these saves. This ability functions only while the paladin is conscious, not if she is unconscious or dead. This ability replaces aura of courage.

Deities: Iomedae, Sarenrae, Torag. Anchoring Aura (Su): At 8th level, a paladin’s aura hampers extradimensional travel by evil outsiders. The aura extends 20 feet from the paladin. Evil outsiders attempting to use abilities such as dimension door, plane shift, or teleport to leave or enter the aura must succeed at a Will save (DC 10 + 1/2 the paladin’s level + the paladin’s Charisma modifier); failure means the ability does not function, as if the outsider were affected by dimensional anchor. The aura functions only while the paladin is conscious, not if she is unconscious or dead.

Alternatively, as an immediate action, the paladin can expend one use of her smite evil ability to target an evil outsider within 30 feet with dimensional anchor. A targeted dimensional anchor persists even if the paladin is unconscious or dead.

This ability replaces aura of resolve. Holy Vessel (Su): At 9th level, a paladin whose divine bond is with a weapon can also use her divine bond to augment her armor or shield with enhancement bonuses, or add any of the following armor or shield properties: bashing, fortification, and spell resistance. Adding these properties consumes an amount of bonus equal to the property’s cost (see Tables 15–4 and 15–5 in the Core Rulebook). She can divide her bonuses from the divine bond ability among her weapon, armor, and shield as she sees fit. This ability has no effect for a paladin whose divine bond is with a mount. This ability replaces the mercy gained at 9th level.

Deities: Abadar, Erastil, Iomedae, Torag. Holy Reach (Su): At 2nd level, an oathbound paladin can expend one use of her smite evil ability to extend her natural reach by 5 feet for 1 minute. This does not stack with the Lunge feat. This ability replaces divine grace.

Deities: Iomedae, Sarenrae, Torag. Detect Undead (Su): This ability works like the standard paladin ability to detect evil, except as detect undead instead of detect evil. This ability replaces detect evil.

Deities: Abadar, Iomedae, Torag. Breath Evasion (Su): At 4th level, a paladin with this oath gains evasion, but only against the breath weapons of creatures with the dragon type. This ability replaces channel positive energy.

Deities: Erastil, Iomedae, Sarenrae, Torag. Charitable Hands (Su): At 2nd level, a paladin with this oath heals 50% less when she uses lay on hands on herself, but 50% more than the normal amount when she uses it to heal others. Using lay on hands to harm undead deals the normal amount of damage. This ability otherwise works like and replaces lay on hands.

Deities: Iomedae, Sarenrae, Torag. Pure of Mind (Su): At 2nd level, the paladin gains a +4 sacred bonus on saves against charm effects and figments, and gains a bonus equal to her Charisma modifier on Will saving throws. This ability replaces divine grace.

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Deities: Abadar, Iomedae, Sarenrae, Shelyn, Torag. Loyal Oath (Su): Once per day, an oathbound paladin can choose a willing creature within line of sight as the target of her loyal oath. When the paladin is adjacent to the target of her loyal oath, she grants the target a sacred bonus on saving throws and to Armor Class equal to the paladin’s Charisma bonus. The loyal oath lasts 1 minute, or until the paladin dismisses it (a free action) or discharges it (see below), whichever comes first.

If the target is struck by an enemy and the paladin is adjacent to that enemy, as an immediate action she may make a single melee attack against that enemy; making this attack ends the loyal oath. At 4th level and every three levels thereafter, the paladin may use her loyal oath one additional time per day. This ability replaces smite evil.

Deities: Iomedae, Torag. Channel Wrath (Su): When an oathbound paladin reach 4th level, she can spend two uses of her lay on hands ability to gain an extra use of smite evil that day. This ability has no effect for a paladin who does not have the smite evil ability. This ability replaces channel positive energy.

Ghost Touch Aura (Su) level 3

This ability replaces the paladin’s 3rd- level and 9th-level mercies.

At 3rd level, the paladin’s armor is treated as if it had the ghost touch armor property. This does not affect the cost or effect of any other abilities of the armor. At 9th level, this ability also applies to the paladin’s shield. This ability replaces the paladin’s 3rd- level and 9th-level mercies.

Charitable Mercy (Su) level 5

Replaces Divine Bond.

At 5th level, a paladin with this oath is more flexible with her mercies than other paladins. At the start of each day, a paladin with this oath can select her mercies anew from the list of available mercies. This ability replaces divine bond.

Aura of Life (Su) level 8

Replaces Aura of Resolve.

At 8th level, the paladin gains a +4 morale bonus on saves against attacks that grant Spellcasters Spellcasters negative levels and saves to overcome negative levels. Each ally within 10 feet of her gains a +2 morale bonus on these saves.

This ability functions only while the paladin is conscious, not if she is unconscious or dead. This ability replaces aura of resolve.

Loyal Guardian (Su) level 8

At 8th level, whenever the target of the paladin’s loyal oath is hit with a melee or ranged attack, if the paladin is adjacent to the target, she can spend an immediate action to have the attack automatically hit her instead of the intended target. This ends the loyal oath.

Pure of Body (Su) level 8

Replaces Aura of Resolve.

Upon reaching 8th level, the paladin has a 50% chance to turn any critical hit or sneak attack against her into a normal hit, as if she were wearing fortification armor. This ability replaces aura of resolve.

Cleansing Flame (Sp) level 11

Replaces Aura of Justice.

At 11th level, you may expend two uses of your smite evil ability to ignite your weapon with a cleansing blue flame for 1 minute. This flame sheds light as a torch. Aberrations within 20 feet of the flame take a –4 penalty on attack rolls against you and your allies, and your allies within 20 feet of the flame gain a +2 sacred bonus on saving throws against spells and effects from aberrations. This ability replaces aura of justice.

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Hordebreaker (Su) level 11

Replaces Aura of Justice.

At 11th level, when the paladin hits an evil humanoid with an attack of opportunity, she deals an additional 1d6 points of damage. When using holy reach, the paladin may make a number of additional attacks of opportunity per round equal to her Charisma bonus. This increase stacks with similar increases from other sources such as Combat Reflexes. This ability replaces aura of justice.

Powerful Justice (Su) level 11

Replaces Aura of Justice.

At 11th level, an oathbound paladin may spends one use of her smite evil ability to grant her allies within 10 feet the ability to smite evil, except they only gain the paladin’s bonus to damage, not her smite’s attack bonus or ability to bypass DR. This ability replaces aura of justice.

Superior Channeler (Su) level 11

Replaces Aura of Justice.

At 11th level, a paladin can channel positive energy to harm undead by expending a single usage of her lay on hands ability instead of two. This ability replaces aura of justice.

Cast into the Void (Su) level 20

Replaces Holy Champion.

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 aberration, the creature must make a Will save (DC 10 + 1/2 the paladin’s level + the paladin’s Charisma modifier) or be banished to oblivion. This ability does not kill the creature, but it is sent to a remote place, such as deep underground or far into space (if it is a creature native to space), and cannot return under its own power for at least 100 years.

Whenever the paladin channels positive energy or uses lay on hands to heal a creature, she heals the maximum possible amount. This ability replaces holy champion.

Dragon-Slaying Strike (Su) level 20

Replaces Holy Champion.

At 20th level, an oathbound paladin becomes a conduit of holy power. Her DR increases to 10/evil. Whenever she uses smite evil and successfully strikes a dragon, the dragon is also subject to a single-target holy word, using her paladin level as the caster level. After the banishment effect and the damage from the attack are 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. This ability replaces holy champion.

Code of Conduct

Keep all promises. Never make an oath or promise lightly. Never go back on an oath.

Deities

Replaces Channel Positive Energy.

Iomedae, Torag. Channel Wrath (Su): When an oathbound paladin reach 4th level, she can spend two uses of her lay on hands ability to gain an extra use of smite evil that day. This ability has no effect for a paladin who does not have the smite evil ability. This ability replaces channel positive energy.

Divine Bond (Sp)

This replaces the standard divine bond ability.

This works like the paladin’s normal divine bond ability, except as follows. If the paladin’s bond is with a weapon, she cannot use that ability to add the brilliant energy, disruption, or merciful weapon properties, but she can add the bane weapon property (but only against dragons). If the paladin’s bond is with her steed, the steed gains the paladin’s aura-based immunities and her aura does not affect allies. This replaces the standard divine bond ability.

Oath Spells

1st—wrath**; 2nd—confess**; 3rd—blessing of fervor**; 4th—order’s wrath.

Spellcasters Spellcasters