> The party meets an old fallen paladin, who doesn't seem all that evil.
> When questioned, he reveals that back in the day, gods were unforgiving to their servants.
> The oaths were so binding and restrictive, all it took was a single mistake for a paladin to fall from the god's graces.
> In fact, it was not only commonplace, but expected from a paladin to fall eventually, when he's pressured into an unwinnable situation or somehow tricked.
How would your characters react to such information?
Well, what changed?
I'd ask my GM to get off fucking Veeky Forums and stop memeing.
Ask him when did the puppetmaster that controls his fate decided to kick the deciding force that screwed them over away and took control of this reality.
> Paladins became a rarity eventually. Nobody wanted to take up the sword, when your fate was to disgrace yourself and fade into obscurity.
> And on that day, evil was victorious - necromancers and devil worshippers started crawling out of their holes, no longer opposed by the holy warriors.
> Whole kingdoms were conquered by the evildoers, before the gods realized that it was time for a change.
> In place of a singular, unforgiving code, many different oaths were offered to the new defenders of the just.
> Each of them demanded service to Good - but each in a different way, and each offered forgiveness to those who regreted their transgressions.
> Soon the new paladins rose to the occasion, protecting the weak and fighting the evil.
> No longer bound and restricted by an unforgiving code, but guided by four holy oaths.
As a Paladin I tell him that suicide is an option.
Shit paladin.
This is kind of neat.
sounds like something everyone would have some knowledge of. if it comes as a surprise to the party, the paladin must be ancient.
if he is an ancient, fallen paladin, I would probably suspect him to be a lich or some such. if he went out of his way to dodge death, and has been around for ages, he's probably bottling up a great deal of anger, or his empathy for mortals has been eroded, and I'd be wary of the fucker.
if you're wondering if this is a cool concept you should use as GM, its just okay. Fallen paladins who have a just cause to be fallen pretty much pops up in every campaign, either from the GM or s PC.
>"Listen, you young'uns, back in my day warrior could run up to sorcerers and whack the magic right out of their frail hands. Just like that. One hit, and poof. Now when you run up to them they just step away with a grin and cast their sorcery willy-nilly. And warriors didn't fall to these perfidious mind control and paralysis shenanigans like they do nowadays. This generation of warriors is a bunch of pushovers, I tell ya. What an embarassment."
>"Oh yeah, and rogues were always shit. Good riddance, villainous scum."
Hey, you broke the oath. Time to end yourself.
>Alternatively
Paladins do not become what they are for glory. They do not wish to be immortalized in song and legend, though that may be a result of their deeds. Paladins are warriors of good. They take up the sword to serve others and protect good in the world.
A true Paladin cares not whether or not he or she falls in the end, only that they are given a chance to serve and do good for as long as they are able. For a true Paladin it matters not whether your service ends in obscurity or glorious death. Being a Paladin is no mere power or favour of the gods, being a Paladin is pledging your life and service to something greater than yourself and standing up for those who cannot stand for themselves.
A true Paladin cares not how their service ends, only that they were given the opportunity to serve.
>Too much of a pussy to deal with the consequences of your actions
>Take the easy way out rather than try to make amends or take your punishment like a man
>Thinks this is how a paladin should act
I'm quite glad I don't game with you.
For those, who're confused:
This whole thread is a giant reference to how easy it was for a paladin to fall in 3.5 when you have a dickass DM, and how 5e reigned things in with different oaths.
The "time to suicide" meme is a reference to the ongoing shitstorm in /5eg/.
Really inspiring. By the way, you just knowingly associated with an evil person. You fall.
I avoid generals like the plague, what is this newest kerfuffle about?
Ahhh.
Why not try grey warden oaths.
>In times of peace. Vigilance.
>In times of war. Victory.
>In times of death. Sacrifice.
Didn't 4e start the Oath thing? I know it was a massive point of anger for people that the Paladin could Alpha Protocol his way through everything now
Also, explain the meme if you could.
AD&D 1E best D&D
Ahhh.
Why not try grey warden oaths.
>In times of peace. Vigilance.
>In times of war. Victory.
>In times of death. Sacrifice.
Although.
Anyone of any alignment could join....
But they will inevitably die.
The reason why I posted twice is because
I know with that number I will get smited here.
>What age do you hail from, oh paladin?
>3.5
Hey, it works.
I love Grey Wardens as paladins. They have
>A singular focus
>Immunity from punishment
>Abilities to help them hunt their target
>An 'any means necessary' philosophy
>Incredibly dangerous initiation rituals
>No chance for a happy ending
I never liked paladins as all around 'i kill evil and heal good and track monsters and speak to angels' sort of holy warriors. I like them with a specific code or focus.
Oaths in 5e are not only your principles, they are also subclasses that define your abilities and spells. Oath of Vengeance, for example, is the Punisher kind of paladin, who hunts down evil no matter the cost, and he gets such abilities as not only doing the opportunity attack when their foe escapes, but also chasing after them.
No, it didn't. As for the suicide thing, it started when a guy suicided rather than break his oath, which sparked a heated debate over whether or not paladins should kill themselves rather than tell a lie.
RAW answer - no, they shouldn't. And paladins don't even fall in 5E, unless they are unrepentant for their misdeeds.
>Paladin saves the party again
>"Hah! You think I'm tough? My grandfather got to spam dispel magic all day long. At the same strength as his class level!"
>Loghain as a fallen paladin.
YES.
> The party researches the legendary wizard empires that once covered the entire known world, until they suddenly and mysteriously collapsed.
> Turns out, concentration rules suddenly became a thing.
> Cue to flying castles suddenly falling down.
The seven silver cities have fallen.
Grey wardens conscript anyone. right there. right then.
They also sense and destroy darkspawn.
They also use anything to kill darkspawn by any means.
Even sacrificing other wardens to summon and bind demons because they feared the would all die before they completed their mission.
Well.... so would you if to fight these.
>Breed as fast as skaven.
>Also live underground hoping to corrupt dragons.
>Also don't need to eat or drink.
>Also blood that corrupts anything organic.
>Regenerative.
>Immortal.
What sort of retard thinks that's the appropriate response. I mean if it was died to tell the truth maybe I could see it, but killing yourself in order to not have to face the situation?
This sounds like some lore for a campaign that made the switch from 3.5 to 5e.
Wow, user, you are a bright one, aren't you.
So, this is people bashing on the old paladin system?
Loghain is the best. I recruit him every time.