Be paladin, see this

Fallen right there

Use Command spell tell him to "surrender"

Depends on the setting.

Is failing to stop a murderer an evil act? Please explain how you think this is a paladin falls situation.

Just BoP the hostage and HoJ the dude with a knife jeez what a shit paladin you are.

> "I swear to you: If you harm them, no force on earth can stop me from killing you."

Not really. Paladins can't fall from failing, in fact. They fall from deliberately going against their code.

Here, the fault is entirely the murderer's. A Paladin isn't in violation of his code because of the killer's actions, any more than the police are at fault when a criminal starts shooting hostages.

Smite, duh.

That's taking away the thief's free will. You fall.

>Man killing a woman

LG paladin here, this man is clearly doing God's work.

>LAWFUL good
>Giving a shit about free will

ok kiddo.