Talk:Paladin (4E)

Multiple Attribute Disorder

The paladin is a MAD class. Supposing that we want to cure this a cure is kind of tricky, as whatever gets relegated to a secondary position becomes pretty toothless.

There are at present 12 Cha/Wis powers and only 5 Str/Wis powers. This means Wisdom takes a much greater hit with the Charisma paladin. Conversely, Cha becomes a much more important secondary stat for Strength paladins than Strength becomes for Charisma paladins.

My preferred variant is to make the paladin a Strength-based class with Cha and Wis secondaries. Considering that Lay on Hands is already strongly Wisdom-based, Cha and Wis become approximately as important to a Strength paladin even tough there are fewer Wis powers. I must admit I also dislike the idea of a feeble Paladin. With less emphasis on Cha and Wis, it is actually possible to pursue the Dex/Con-based feats.

Strength Paladins

All powers (but not class features) that use Charisma as the attack stat instead use Strength. Any mention of Wisdom in the power description of formerly Charisma-based powers is changed to Charisma. Channel Divinity: Divine Strength has a Charisma-based bonus.

Build Options

Not all paladins are towering knights; some divinities prefer more graceful guardians.

Valkyrie

Sacred warriors of barbarian societies, valkyries are seen as benign and defensive warriors in their culture. Compared to other paladins, they are quite aggressive. They care less about doctrine and more about honor and survival.

Armor Proficiencies: Cloth, leather, hide, chainmail, scale; light shield

Trained Skills: Athletics (Str). From the class skills list below, choose four more trained skills at 1st level. Class Skills: Athletics (Str), Diplomacy (Cha), Endurance (Con), Heal (Wis), History (Int), Insight (Wis), Intimidate (Cha), Nature (Wis), Religion (Int).

Radiant Warrior

Clothed in shining raiments, radiant warriors trust more to divine protection than to mortal armor. Favored by gods of mysticism and magic, they are more obviously supernatural than other paladins.

Armor Proficiencies: Cloth; light shield, heavy shield.

Class features: Radiant raiment, radiant shield.

Radiant Raiment

When wearing light armor, a radiant warrior can add her Wisdom or Charisma modifier to Armor Class instead of her Dexterity or Intelligence modifier. You gain Dodge as a bonus feat.

Radiant Shield

While you are wielding either a melee weapon, you maintain a field of radiant energy around you. This field provides a +1 bonus to AC, or a +3 bonus if you are wielding a melee weapon in one hand and have your other hand free (not carrying a shield, an off-hand weapon, a two-handed weapon, or anything else).