PRESTIGE PALADIN

My good blade carves the casques of men,

My tough lance thrusteth sure,

My strength is as the strength of ten,

Because my heart is pure.

―Alfred, Lord Tennyson, Sir Galahad.

Rather than beginning play as a paladin, a character aspiring to become a paladin must meet special prerequisites beforehand. The paladin is therefore presented as a prestige class in these rules. Depending on the class(es) you possessed before becoming a paladin, there may be additions and/or alterations to your standard class features (Appendix A).

Paladins from fiction and literature include Galahad from Sir Thomas Malory’s Le Morte d’Arthur and other sources; Charlemagne’s paladins from Le Chanson de Roland; Sir Ogier from Poul Anderson’s Three Hearts and Three Lions; and, more recently, Paks from Elizabeth Moon’s The Deed of Paksenarrion. A more irreverent example might be “Rooster” Cogburn from True Grit.

Prerequisites

Base Attack Bonus: +4.

Skills: Diplomacy 2 ranks, Handle Animal 4 ranks, Knowledge (the planes) 2 ranks.

Spellcasting: Ability to cast (or manifest) protection from evil as a spell or spell-like ability.

Special: You must successfully kneel the week-long holy vigil at the deserted Temple of Rao on the shore of the Bay of Arken. Only those true of heart and of the most upstanding virtue can successfully complete this vigil; others emerge from the temple embittered and somehow marked with the stamp of their failure.

Table: The Prestige Paladin Hit Dice: d10

Class Level	Base Attack	Special
1st	+1	Archetype, aura of good, detect evil, smite evil, spell theurgy
2nd	+2	Divine bond, divine grace, lay on hands
3rd	+3	Lesser divine aura, swift abjuration
4th	+4	Mercy
5th	+5	Bonus feat, mettle
6th	+6	Divine aura
7th	+7	Mercy
8th	+8	Bonus feat
9th	+9	Greater divine aura, paladin’s focus
10th	+10	Mercy
11th	+11	Bonus feat, divine impetus
12th	+12	Superior divine aura
13th	+13	Mercy
14th	+14	Bonus feat
15th	+15	Exalted divine aura, holy champion

Saving Throws: Prestige paladins gain a +2 class bonus to Fortitude, Intuition, and Will saves.

Bonus Skills: All prestige paladins automatically receive one free rank per class level in Concentration, Diplomacy, and Handle Animal. These are otherwise treated as class skills, but do not count against your total number of skill points.

Prestige paladins with levels in bard also gain 1 rank per level in either Perform (music) or Knowledge (Linguistics), depending on the bardic tradition followed.

Class Skills: Bluff, Craft (all), Endurance, Heal, Knowledge (the planes), Knowledge (warfare), Profession (all).

Skill Points at Each Level: 2 + Int modifier.

Favored Class: When gaining a level of prestige paladin as a favored class, rather than choosing +1 hp or skill point, you can instead gain one of the following:

• Bonded Companion: Your special mount (if any) gains +1 hp and +1 skill point each time you select this option.

• Energy Resistance: You gain resistance 2 against acid, cold, electricity, fire, or negative energy. Each time you select this option, increase your resistance to one of these energy types by 2.

• Favored Enemy: You gain a +1 favored enemy bonus against one of the following: dragons; giants, monstrous humanoids, and uncivilized humanoids; evil outsiders and aberrations; or undead. Each time you select this favored class bonus, choose a new favored enemy or improve an existing favored enemy bonus by an additional +1 (to a maximum bonus equal to half your character level +1).

• Steady Resolve: You gain a sacred bonus to Concentration checks equal to the number of times you select this option.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Paladins have Martial proficiency with all weapons and shields, and are proficient with all types of armor (heavy, medium, and light).

Archetype (Ex): Dependent upon the class(es) you progressed in before becoming a paladin, you may gain advancement in existing class features as you gain prestige paladin levels. Compare the Archetypes listed in Appendix A with the classes you had levels in before becoming a paladin; you gain the benefits of those archetypes. Classes acquired after becoming a prestige paladin do not gain archetype benefits.

Aura of Good (Ex): You are consecrated to the powers of Good, and detect as both [lawful] and [good]. Additionally, you are affected by spells such as protection from good, protection from law, and unholy blight.

Detect Evil (Sp): At will, you can use detect evil as a spell-like ability. You can, as a move action, concentrate on a single item or individual within 60 feet and determine if it is evil, learning the strength of its aura as if having studied it for 3 rounds. While focusing on one individual or object, you do not detect evil in any other object or individual within range.

Smite Evil (Su): At 1^st level, you gain Channeling Smite as a bonus feat. When executing a smite attack, you gain the following additional benefits:

• Your attacks automatically bypass the target’s damage reduction, if any.

• On a crit with a x2 critical multiplier weapon, treat all 1s rolled for the channeled energy as 2s; for a x3 weapon, treat all 1s and 2s as 3s, etc.

• Your gain a deflection bonus to AC equal to your Charisma modifier against attacks made by the target until it is defeated.

Spell Theurgy: Prestige paladin levels provide Weak theurgy towards any one spellcasting or ki using class you possess, as noted in Appendix A (archetypes). You gain access to spells unique to the paladin's spell list, at the same levels indicated for the standard paladin. You can also prepare Devoted Spirit and White Raven maneuvers from the Book of Nine Swords as if they were divine spells of the appropriate level.

If you had no spellcasting progression before becoming a paladin (i.e., you used the Magical Talent feat or a racial spell-like ability to fulfill the protection from evil requirement), you gain spell capacity at the rate of one level of spellcasting per 2 class levels in prestige paladin. Your spellcasting can be either spontaneous or prepared (at your option), and your spellcasting attribute can be either Wisdom or Charisma (at your option). Once made, these choices cannot be changed thereafter.

Divine Bond (Su): Upon reaching 2^nd level, you form a divine bond with the forces of Good. This bond can take one of several forms:

• Divine Weapon, Armor, or Shield: As the personal weapon fighter talent. Your fighter levels (if any) provide Full synergy to this ability.

• Domain: Choose one of the following domains: Community, Glory, Good, Healing, Law, Protection, Repose, or War. You gain Domain Access and Improved Domain Access to that domain as bonus feats.

• Holy Symbol: At will, you can cause the holy symbol to shed light like a torch. At ^2nd level, your holy symbol grants one bonus. For every three levels beyond ^2nd, the symbol grants one additional bonus. These bonuses can be spent in a number of ways to grant you enhanced abilities to channel positive energy and to cast spells. Each bonus can be used to grant one of the following enhancements: +1 to the effective caster level to any paladin spell cast; +2 to the DC to halve the damage of channel positive energy when used to harm undead; +1d6 to channel positive energy; or +1 use/day of lay on hands. These enhancements stack and can be selected multiple times. The enhancements granted are determined when the spirit is called and cannot be changed until the spirit is called again. If you increase your number of uses of lay on hands per day in this way, that choice is set for the rest of the day, and once used, these additional uses are not restored (even if the spirit is called again that day). The holy symbol grants no bonuses if held by anyone other than you, but resumes giving enhancements if returned to you. If a bonded holy symbol is destroyed, you lose the use of this ability for 30 days, or until you gain a level, whichever comes first. During this 30-day period, you take a –1 penalty on attack and weapon damage rolls. Source: Advanced Player’s Guide.

• Mount: As the fighter talent of the same name. You can add the celestial or half-celestial template to your mount at the appropriate CR cost. Your special mount, if normally an animal, gains the magical beast type instead, granting it improved BAB and hit die type, darkvision 60 ft., and immunity to spells that specifically affect animals. Once per day, as a full-round action, you may magically call your mount to your side. This ability is the equivalent of a spell of a level equal to half your number of ranks in Concentration. The mount immediately appears adjacent to you. You can use this ability once per day at 2^nd level, and one additional time per day for every 4 levels thereafter, for a total of four times per day at 14^th level.

Divine Grace (Su): At 2^nd level, you gain a sacred bonus equal to your prestige paladin level on all saving throws, to a maximum equal to your Charisma bonus.

Lay on Hands (Su): Beginning at 2^nd level, you can convert one use of channel energy into two uses of lay on hands. If you do not have the ability to channel positive energy, you gain a number of daily uses of Lay on Hands equal to half your prestige paladin level + your Charisma modifier, using your prestige paladin level as your effective cleric level when determining damage. You can then channel positive energy (as a good cleric) by expending two uses of your lay on hands ability.

With one use of this ability, you apply the same amount of positive energy as when channeling energy, but the energy affects only the creature touched. Using this ability is a swift action. Despite the name of this ability, you need only one free hand to use this ability. Positive energy deals 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. Undead do not receive a saving throw against this damage.

Your lay on hands ability damages evil outsiders as if they were undead. If you touch someone possessed by an evil creature, this ability ignores the host and inflicts damage directly upon the possessing entity.

Lesser Divine Aura (Su): Beginning at 3^rd level, a prestige paladin gains a lesser divine aura, chosen from the 3^rd level auras presented in Appendix B. This aura has an initial radius of 10 feet. Divine auras function continuously while you are conscious, but not if you are unconscious or dead.

Swift Abjuration (Su): Starting at 3^rd level, you can cast abjuration spells on yourself as a swift action, as if you had applied the Quicken Spell feat (but without any increase in spell level). The maximum spell level you can quicken in this manner is equal to 1/3 your Prestige Paladin class level. This ability is similar to the Abjurant Champion’s prestige class feature of the same name, from Complete Mage.

Mercy (Su): At 4^th level, your lay on hands and channel positive energy abilities also remove a specific condition afflicting that subject or subjects. This works similarly to dispel magic, remove disease, etc.; removing most conditions requires a Concentration check on your part against the DC of the condition (DC 30 if the condition did not allow a save). Whenever you use lay on hands or channel positive energy to heal damage to one or more targets, those targets also receives the additional effects from all of the mercies possessed by you. The conditions that can be removed depend on your class level. Unless otherwise noted, once a condition or effect is chosen, it can't be changed:

• At 4^th level, you can select any minor condition (Chapter 1).

• At 7^th level, your mercy also removes one moderate condition with the same descriptor as the minor one you chose at 4^th level. In addition, choose one of the following additional conditions to remove as well: charmed, cursed, or any one moderate condition.

• At 10^th level, your mercy also removes the severe condition with the same descriptor as the minor one you gained at 4^th level. In addition, choose one of the following additional conditions to remove: confused, or any one severe condition.

• At 13^th level, your mercy also removes the critical condition with the same descriptor as the minor one you chose at 4^th level. In addition, choose one of the following conditions to remove: energy drained, feebleminded, insane, petrified, or any one critical condition.

A mercy can remove a [debilitation] caused by a curse, disease, or poison without curing it; such conditions return after 1 hour unless the mercy actually removes the cause itself.

You yourself are immune to any condition you can remove using this ability. Immunity to attribute damage or drain applies to only one of your attributes (your choice; once made, you cannot change it).

Bonus Feat: At 5^th, 8^th, 11^th, and 14^th levels, you gain a bonus feat chosen from the following list: Defiance, Diehard, Great Fortitude, Heroic Defiance, Iron Will, Serenity, Skill Focus (Concentration), any Combat feat (including Strike feats and Stance feats), any Paladin Feat (Appendix C), or any Divine feat. You must meet all prerequisites normally.

Mettle (Ex): Starting at 5^th level, if you make a successful Fortitude or Will save against an attack that would normally have a lesser effect on a save (such as any spell with a saving throw of Fortitude Partial), you instead completely negate the effect.

Divine Aura (Su): At 6^th level, you gain one of the 3^rd or 6^th level auras listed in Appendix B. The effects of different divine auras generally stack, although as usual like-names bonuses overlap, rather than stack. Additionally, if you have more than one aura in a given suite (Appendix B), the radius of all your auras from that suite expands, as shown in the following table.

Number of Auras in Set	Radius of Emanation
1	10 ft.
2	30 ft.
3	60 ft.
4	120 ft.
5	Line of sight

Greater Divine Aura (Su): At 9^th level, you gain one of the 3^rd, 6^th, or 9^th level auras described in Appendix B.

Paladin’s Focus (Ex): Starting at 9^th level, you are able to marshal your resolve and act deliberately, despite the distractions around you. Once per encounter, you can choose to Take 10 on any d20 roll, even one that does not normally allow it (such as an attack roll or saving throw), and add a +1 competence bonus to the result. This ability duplicates the Crusader’s aura of perfect order stance from the Tome of Battle.

Divine Impetus (Ex): Starting at 11^th level, once per round you can spend one channel energy use (two uses of lay on hands) as a free action in order to gain an additional swift action that round. This ability supersedes the Ruby Knight Vindicator’s prestige class feature of the same name from the Tome of Battle.

Superior Divine Aura (Su): At 12^th level, choose one of the 12^th or lower-level auras described in Appendix B.

Exalted Divine Aura (Su): At 15^th level, choose any one of the auras described in Appendix B.

Holy Champion (Su): At 15^th level, you gain damage reduction 10/evil. Whenever you channel positive energy or uses lay on hands to heal a creature, you heal the maximum possible amount.

Code of Conduct

A prestige paladin must be of lawful good alignment and loses all class abilities if he ever willingly commits an evil act or knowingly allows an evil act to be committed when it is potentially within his power to stop it (see below). Additionally, the paladin must follow a code as agreed upon by the player and the referee. If disagreements occur, they must be adjudicated in a calm and respectable manner after the session ends, without disrupting game play and without the referee unilaterally stripping the paladin of his abilities during the game. In general, the referee is responsible for warning the player whenever an action on the paladin’s part represents a minor or gross violation of the paladin’s code.

Ex-Paladins: A prestige paladin who grossly violates the code of conduct (see above), or makes repeated lesser violations despite warnings made prior to the act or acts, loses all prestige paladin class abilities. In general, this requires agreement by the player and referee; it should not be imposed unilaterally. If the act is premeditated and egregious, you may not atone. Otherwise, you can regain your abilities and advancement potential if you atone for your violations (see the atonement spell description), as appropriate.

Appendix A: Paladin Archetypes

Depending on the class(es) you had before becoming a paladin, you may gain additional abilities or variations to normal abilities. Characters may gain abilities from multiple archetypes if they have levels in more than one paladin archetype class.

Dark Knight (Rogue)

Your paladin level provides Weak synergy to your rogue level when calculating your sneak attack damage and determining the effects of any rogue talents you possess. Theurgy from prestige paladin levels can be applied to your skill tricks in lieu of a spellcasting progression.

Devoted Tracker (Ranger)

You have found a balance between your woodland training and your devotion to religious training, blending these two aspects into one seamless whole. Your prestige paladin level provides Strong synergy to your ranger level for purposes of determining the effects of your ranger lore and quarry abilities. In addition, your prestige paladin level provides Weak synergy to your ranger tracking abilities (tracker, direction sense, swift tracker, wilderness guide, anchored navigation, planar tracking, nondetection, find the path, unerring tracker, and personal preserve).

Holy Exemplar (Incarnate)

Your prestige paladin levels provide Full synergy with your incarnate level for purposes of determining your divine resistance and damage reduction, and Weak synergy to the effectiveness of your revelations.

Holy Champion (Cleric, Archivist)

For the purpose of determining your ability to channel positive energy, prestige paladin class levels provide Full synergy with levels from all other classes from which you gained the ability to channel energy. For instance, a 4^th level fighter/1^st level cleric/2^nd level prestige paladin would channel positive energy as a 3^rd level cleric. In addition, spell theurgy from prestige paladin levels also applies to the effectiveness of your domain powers.

Knight-Troubadour (Bard)

A 6^th level minstrel or 5^th level skald can qualify for the Prestige Paladin prestige class, providing a wide range of spells, group support, and combat abilities. Although a skald’s martial focus makes it a more obvious starting tradition, a minstrel/paladin (a so-called “knight-troubadour”) can focus on a high Charisma score for both classes. Also, because of the paladin’s reliance on heavy armor and shields, upon becoming a Prestige Paladin, a minstrel’s normal requirement to play an instrument to cast spells or inspire allies is relaxed, and he or she can perform these effects in combat by singing instead (which means that all spells and inspirations gain a verbal component, like the skald’s). Benefits from both singing and playing an instrument can still be obtained, if the troubadour chooses to play as well as sing.

Prestige paladin levels provide Full synergy with bard levels for all purposes of bardic inspiration (rounds per day of use and DC) and college. A Knight-Troubador therefore makes an exceptionally able replacement for the Battle Herald prestige class described in the Advanced Player’s Guide.

Martial Champion (Fighter)

If you had levels in fighter before becoming a prestige paladin, your prestige paladin levels provide Full synergy for purposes of determining the effects of your fighter talents.

• In addition, you can choose the Banner and/or Knightly Order fighter talents in place of paladin bonus feats (treating your Smite Evil ability as the Challenge talent for purposes of meeting the prerequisites and for Order of knighthood enhancements), following the same restrictions.

• If you have levels in fighter and possess the Riposte talent and the other prerequisites, you can gain the Robilar’s Gambit advanced fighter talent in place of an 11^th or 14^th level bonus feat.

Monastic Crusader (Monk)

If have the ki attack ability, your prestige paladin levels provide Full synergy with your monk levels for purposes of determining your Unarmed Mastery and Weapon Form damage bonuses. For example, a human monk 4/paladin 4 would deal +4 bonus damage with weapons, and gain an additional +2d6 points of damage with unarmed attacks.

Noble Savage (Barbarian)

A single-classed barbarian of at least 4^th level with the protective spirits rage power is eligible to gain levels in Prestige Paladin; levels of prestige paladin provide Strong synergy towards your rage (rounds of rage per day and types of rage available).

At your option, instead of improving spellcasting progression, prestige paladin theurgy could allow you to gain additional rage powers as if your paladin levels were barbarian levels, and to improve the effects of existing rage powers likewise. If this option is used, certain spells on the core paladin’s spell list might be adapted into rage powers as well (1^st level spells as rage powers, 2^nd level spells as improved rage powers, etc.).

Appendix B: Divine Auras

As shown below, auras generally come in sets of similarly-themed effects, called “suites.” Upon gaining a new aura, you can choose a higher-level aura in the same suite (and expand the radius of all auras belonging to that set) or you can choose an aura of the appropriate level or lower from a different suite, as you see fit. Suites of auras are as follows.

Life

You are a dedicated hunter of undead.

Aura of Life, Lesser (3^rd): You can detect undead at will, in addition to your detect evil ability. Living creatures within your aura gain a sacred bonus on saves to resist death effects, negative energy, or energy drain equal to the number of auras in this suite that you possess.

Aura of Life (6^th): You emit an aura of life around you that weakens undead creatures. Undead within your aura take a penalty on Will saves made to resist positive energy equal to the number of auras in this suite that you possess. In addition, undead within your aura do not regain hit points from channeled negative energy. This variant ability is from the Advanced Player’s Guide and Ultimate Magic.

Aura of Life, Greater (9^th): When you channel positive energy or lay on hands, instead of rolling the dice, you may treat each die as if it had scored a number equal to 2 + the number of auras in this suite that you possess. At 15^th level, with access to all five auras, you would therefore heal 7 hp per die of channeled energy. This supersedes the maximize channeling function of the core paladin’s Holy Champion class feature.

Aura of Life, Superior (12^th): Undead you strike while using your smite evil ability must save vs. Fortitude (DC 10 + the number of auras in this suite you possess + your charisma modifier) or be destroyed, as if you were using a disruption weapon. Allies within your aura gain a sacred bonus to damage against undead equal to the number of auras in this suite that you possess.

Aura of Life, Exalted (15^th): You are immune to negative energy and death effects. Allies within your aura gain resistance to negative energy equal to 5 x the number of auras in this suite you possess.

Marshal

You are the ultimate battlefield commander, granting benefits to all followers within your aura.

Marshal’s Aura, Lesser (3^rd): You can project inspire courage or any one Fochlucan inspiration you know (see Bard) as a continuous aura, without the need for activation or performance, and without expending rounds of bardic inspiration use.

Marshal’s Aura (6^th): You can project any one Fochlucan or MacFuirmidh bardic inspiration you know as a continuous aura, without expending rounds of bardic inspiration use and without the need for activation or performance.

Marshal’s Aura, Greater (9^th): You can project any one Fochlucan, MacFuirmidh, or Doss bardic inspiration you know as a continuous aura, without expending rounds of bardic inspiration use and without the need for activation or performance.

Marshal’s Aura, Superior (12^th): You can project any one Fochlucan, MacFuirmidh, Doss, or Canaith bardic inspiration you know as a continuous aura, without expending rounds of bardic inspiration use and without the need for activation or performance.

Marshal’s Aura, Exalted (15^th): You can project any one Cli or lower-level bardic inspiration you know as a continuous aura, without expending rounds of bardic inspiration use and without the need for activation or performance.

Purity

You stand firm against fiends and horrors from beyond space. The 3^rd and 9^th level auras in this suite supersede the Oathbound paladin’s abilities of the same names, from Ultimate Magic.

Aura of Purity (3^rd): You gain SR 16 + your class level against the spells and spell-like abilities of aberrations. You and all allies within your aura gain a sacred bonus on saves against the spells, spell-like abilities, supernatural abilities, and extraordinary abilities of aberrations equal to the number of auras in this suite that you possess (this also applies to the spells and bloodline powers of Aberrant bloodline sorcerers).

Aura of Protection (6th): You emanate a magic circle against evil effect (+2 to AC and saves vs. evil; hedge out summoned evil creatures), with a radius equal to the radius of your aura. Evil outsiders within this area cannot use summoning, plane travelling, or teleportation powers. Source: Dragon magazine, issue 349; this also supersedes the Oathbound paladin’s anchoring aura power from Ultimate Magic.

Cleansing Flame (9^th): Your aura sheds light as a torch. Aberrations and evil outsiders within the aura take a sacred penalty on attack rolls against you and your allies equal to the number of auras in this suite that you possess.

Aura of Spell Resistance (12^th): You and all allies within your aura receive spell resistance of 11 + your prestige paladin level against [evil] spells, and the spells and spell-like abilities of evil creatures.

Holy Aura (15^th): Evil creatures striking you must save vs. Will (DC 18 + your Charisma bonus) or be blinded, as per the blindness spell. Additionally, you and all allies within your aura receive a deflection bonus to AC and a resistance bonus to saving throws equal to the number of auras in this suite you possess.

Resolve

You and your allies receive a suite of resistances and immunities.

Aura of Courage (3^rd): You are immune to fear (magical or otherwise). In addition, allies within your aura receive a sacred bonus to attacks, weapon damage, and saving throws against fear effects equal to the number of auras in the Suite of Resolve you possess.

Aura of Fearlessness (6^th): Allies within your aura are immune to fear and fear effects; this supersedes the feat of the same name from Ultimate Magic.

Aura of Resolve (9^th): You are immune to charm spells and spell-like abilities. Each ally within your aura gains a morale bonus on saving throws against charm effects equal to the number of auras in this Suite that you possess

Aura of Endurance (12^th): You are immune to exhaustion and fatigue. Allies within your aura who would normally be fatigued suffer no penalties; allies who would normally be exhausted are treated as fatigued instead. You and affected allies gain a morale bonus to Endurance skill checks equal to the number of auras in this suite that you possess. This aura is adapted from the limbs of endurance spell from Relics & Rituals (Sword & Sorcery Studios).

Aura of Righteousness (15^th): You gain immunity to compulsion spells and spell-like abilities. Each ally within your aura gains a morale bonus on saving throws against compulsion effects equal to the number of auras in this suite that you possess.

Righteous Fury

Aura of Awe (3^rd): You are immune to fear (magical or otherwise). In addition, enemies within your aura suffer a morale penalty to attacks, weapon damage, and saves against fear effects equal to the number of auras in the Suite of Righteous Fury that you possess. Source: Races of Destiny.

Aura of Menace (6^th): Any hostile creature within the radius of your aura must succeed on a Will save (DC 10 + your class level + your Charisma bonus) or be shaken for 24 hours or until they successfully hit you. A creature that has resisted or broken the effect cannot be affected again by your aura for 24 hours. This is modified from the Archon ability of the same name, from the 3.5 edition System Reference Document.

Aura of Justice (9^th): When you activate your smite evil ability, you can also grant it to a number of allies within your aura equal to the number of auras in this suite that you possess. Affected allies that move beyond that radius lose the bonuses.

Aura of Faith (12^th): Your weapons are always treated as blessed for the purposes of overcoming damage reduction and confirming critical hits. All attacks made against enemies within your aura are treated as good-aligned for the purposes of overcoming damage reduction.

Perfect Bastion (15^th): While your smite evil ability is active, you and all allies within your aura gain regeneration against the target (essentially regeneration that is overcome by any damage not caused by the target) equal to 2 x the number of auras in this suite that you possess. This aura replicates the Sacred Shield’s variant class feature of the same name, from Ultimate Combat.

Vindicator

You willingly give your blood in service to your faith, and are marked by scarified wounds appropriate to your deity. This suite of auras is adapted from the Holy Vindicator prestige class in the Advanced Players Guide.

Aura of Martyrdom (3^rd): Allies within your aura are automatically stabilized when at less than 0 hp. At will as a swift action, you can cause your stigmata to weep blood; when this ability is active, enemies within your aura to be affected by a bleed effect if under 0 hp (you can stop this effect as a swift action). Finally, you are immune to blood drain and bleed damage from any source other than your stigmata ability, and you automatically stabilize if reduced to below 0 hp.

Stigmata (6^th): As a swift action, you may stop or start a steady flow of blood from your stigmata; activating stigmata causes bleed damage to you equal to the number of auras in this suite you possess, and this bleed damage is not halted by curative magic. While your stigmata are bleeding, you gain a sacred bonus equal to the number of auras in this suite you possess. Each time you activate your stigmata, you decide if the bonus applies to attack rolls, weapon damage rolls, Armor Class, Concentration checks, or saving throws; to change what the bonus applies to, you must deactivate and reactivate your stigmata.

Bloodfire (9^th): When you use your smite evil ability or the Channel Smite feat, blood runs down your weapons like liquid energy. You receive a sacred bonus to damage equal to the number of auras in this suite that you possess. If you use this ability while your stigmata are bleeding (see above), targets struck must save vs. Fortitude or be sickened and take amount of bleed damage each round on their turns equal to the number of auras in this suite that you possess. Each target can attempt a new save every round to end the sickened and bleed effects.

Bloodrain (12^th): Positive energy you channel is accompanied by a burst of sacred energy, increasing the amount of energy channeled by 1d6. If your stigmata are bleeding, undead failing their saves against the channeled energy become sickened (despite normally being immune to that condition) and take 1d6 points of bleed damage each round (likewise). Affected creatures can attempt a new save every round to end the sickened and bleed effects.

Aura of Holy Blood (15^th): While your stigmata are bleeding, allies within your aura also gain the 6^th level sacred bonus, but do not themselves suffer bleed damage.

Variant: Knight of the Pale

Some paladins are solitary bastions against evil, going alone against the forces of darkness. Such paladins can gain suites of personal abilities in place of auras; each time a new special ability is gained, choose one of the options from the menu below. Selecting this option prevents you from gaining standard paladin’s auras; a paladin has either auras or Knight of the Pale abilities, but never both. These variants supersede the prestige class of the same name from the Book of Hallowed Might (Malhavoc Press).

• Any weapon you wield automatically gains the effects of a bless weapon spell.

• You gain an enhancement bonus to Strength equal to +1 per 3 class levels you possess.

• You gain an enhancement bonus to Dexterity equal to +1 per 3 class levels you possess.

• You gain an enhancement bonus to Constitution equal to +1 per 3 class levels you possess.

• You gain a resistance bonus to all saving throws equal to +1 per 3 class levels you possess.

• You gain the ability to see invisible as a continuous spell-like ability.

Appendix C: Paladin Feats

A prestige paladin can select from any of the following as bonus feats. This allows the simulation of the divine paladin option from Complete Champion, and also supersedes a number of prestige classes. For example, a Gray Guard (Complete Scoundrel) would simply select the Versatile Channeling feat to simulate the “unbound justice” feature, and also the Debilitating Touch feat below.

Annihilate Undead

Prerequisites: Greater divine aura; at least on aura from the Suite of Life.

Benefit: You can expend one use of your smite evil ability as a standard action and make a single melee attack against an undead creature. If this attack hits, the undead creature must make a Will save or be destroyed. The save DC is equal to 10 + your paladin level + your Charisma modifier. Undead with twice as many Hit Dice as you have are unaffected by this ability. If the attack misses, the smite evil is wasted without effect.

Source: This feat supersedes the Undead Scourge’s “undead annihilation” variant class feature from the Advanced Player’s Guide.

Bastion of Good

You can call upon the powers of good to defend your allies against evil.

Prerequisite: Smite evil.

Benefit: You can expend one daily use of smite evil, which grants no benefit on attack or damage rolls against your target. Instead, any attacks the target makes against allies within 10 feet of you deal half damage until the end of that encounter (or until the target is killed, whichever comes first). Attacks against you deal full damage, but you gain a deflection bonus to AC equal to your Charisma bonus (if any) against attacks made by the target of the smite. This bonus increases by +1 for every three paladin levels you possess (to a maximum of +6 at 15^th level). As with smite evil, if you target a creature that is not evil, your bastion of good ability is wasted with no effect. This is a supernatural ability.

Source: This feat supersedes the Sacred Shield’s variant class feature of the same name, from Ultimate Combat.

Cast into the Void

Prerequisites: Exalted divine aura; at least one aura from the Suite of Purity.

Benefit: Whenever you use smite evil and successfully strike an aberration, the creature must succeed at a Will save (DC 10 + your paladin level + your 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.

Source: This feat emulates the capstone power of the Oathbound Paladin (oath against corruption), from Ultimate Magic.

Debilitating Touch

Prerequisite: Lay on Hands, or spontaneous cure or inflict spells.

Benefit: You learn to channel your lay on hands ability (or cure/inflict spells) into a painful touch attack. Using debilitating touch does not provoke attacks of opportunity. An opponent hit by this attack is sickened for a number of rounds equal to the level of the spell or the number of dice of healing the lay on hands would otherwise cure. A successful Fortitude save (DC 10 + your number of ranks in Concentration + your Charisma modifier) negates the effect. This is a supernatural ability.

Source: This feat supersedes the Gray Guard prestige class feature of the same name, from Complete Scoundrel.

Faith Healing

Prerequisite: Ability to lay on hands.

Benefit: Any cure wounds spells you cast on yourself are automatically empowered (as if by the Empower Spell feat), except they do not use higher spell level slots or an increased casting time. If you target yourself with a cure spell that affects multiple creatures, this ability only applies to you.

Source: This feat supersedes the Holy Vindicator’s prestige class feature of the same name from the Advanced Players Guide.

Holy Armor

Prerequisite: Canny Defense, Heavy armor proficiency, Monastic Crusader archetype (see above).

Benefit: You retain the AC bonus granted by the Canny Defense feat even when wearing armor or carrying a shield or a medium or heavy load.

Source: This feat supersedes the Argent Fist’s prestige class feature of the same name, from Faiths of Eberron.

Knight’s Charge

Prerequisite: Divine Bond (special mount), Handle Animal 11 ranks.

Benefit: When you charge a foe, your movement does not provoke attacks of opportunity, for either you or your mount. In addition, if your target is also the target of your smite evil ability and the charge attack hits, the target must make a Will save or be panicked for a number of rounds equal to half your class level. The DC of this save is equal to 10 + half your fighter level (if any) + half your prestige paladin level + your Charisma modifier.

Source: This feat supersedes the Shining Knight’s variant class feature of the same name from the Advanced Player’s Guide.

Shining Light

Prerequisite: Ability to channel positive energy; superior divine aura; at least one aura from the Suite of Righteous Fury.

Benefit: When you channel positive energy, all evil creatures take damage (rather than being healed) as if they were undead, and are also blinded 1 round. Evil dragons, evil outsiders, and evil undead are blinded for 1d4 rounds. A successful saving throw for half damage also negates the blindness. Good creatures within this burst, in addition to being healed normally, receive a +2 sacred bonus on ability checks, attack rolls, saving throws, and skill checks for 1 round.

Source: This feat supersedes the Warrior of the Holy Light’s variant class feature of the same name from the Advanced Player’s Guide.

Smiting, Extra

Prerequisite: Smite evil or similar ability.

Benefit: You gain one extra daily attempt to smite. At the referee’s discretion, this feat can apply to smite-like abilities (the fighter’s Challenge talent, etc.).

Special: You can take this feat multiple times. Its effects stack, and your normal HD-based limits (as described in Chapter 1) do not apply.

Source: Complete Warrior.

Stand Against the Tide

You are trained to use your foes’ numbers against them.

Prerequisite: Smite evil.

Benefit: You receive a luck bonus of +1 per 3 class levels you possess to AC and attack rolls if engaged in melee with more than one foe.

Source: This feat supersedes the variant class feature of the same name, from the Book of Hallowed Might (Malhavoc Press).

Appendix D: Variant Paladins

The prestige paladin as presented above is the standard Lawful Good paladin, flavored for the Aviona campaign setting. However, there is no reason these mechanics cannot be used for variant champions―blackguards (Antipaladins), champions of freedom (Liberators), champions of law (Justiciars), champions of tyranny (Hellknights), champions of the earth (Stonelords), etc. In most cases, a simple 1:1 substitution of class features for equivalents is all that is needed. Some examples are given below.

Blackguard (Antipaladin)

Rarely, a paladin turns from the light and seeks instead to make a pact with the dark powers. Often this is through temptation or some sort of ruse, but once the deal is struck, the paladin finds himself on the path to damnation. When such a fall occurs, the transformation can be swift. The paladin trades in all of his paladin levels for antipaladin levels on a 1-for-1 basis. This is usually a traumatic experience, involving a complex ritual that involves a living sacrifice and dark oaths made to foul powers (who sometimes send minions to bear witness). Once complete, the anitpaladin emerges, ready to bring ruin to the world.

It should be noted that not all antipaladins are fallen heroes. Some warriors are trained from a young age to assume the mantle of blackguard, forged through pain and trauma into exemplars of evil. These cruel warriors know nothing of compassion or loyalty, but they can teach a great deal about pain and suffering.

This variant includes the Blackguard from the 3.5 edition System Reference Document (“Prestige Classes”), the Antipaladin from the Advanced Player’s Guide, and the Paladin of Slaughter from the 3.5 edition System Reference Document (“Variant Character Classes”). Make the following adjustments to the paladin’s class features.

Aura of good: You are [chaotic] and [evil] instead.

Detect evil and smite evil: Change to detect good and smite good, respectively.

Divine Bond (Su): As the standard paladin ability, but change “holy” to “unholy” as appropriate. Apply the following additional adjustments:

• Divine Weapon: Add the anarchic, vicious and wounding properties.

• Domain Bond: Choose from the domains of Chaos, Cultist, Darkness, Death, Destruction, Evil, Greed, Trickery, or War.

• Special Mount: Instead of a mount, you can choose a fiendish servant or familiar (such as a nightmare or quasit) of the appropriate CR.

Divine Grace (Su): Rename as “unholy resilience” or “dark blessing” or whatever, but the saving throw bonus is the same. In addition, you do not take any damage or suffer any penalty from diseases. You can still contract diseases and spread them to others, but are otherwise immune to their effects.

Lay on Hands (Su): Rename “touch of corruption.” Your touch is imbued with negative energy, damaging living creatures and healing undead. In addition, your touch of corruption can deliver the effects of Strike feats as if it were a weapon.

Divine Auras (Su): You have access to the Suite of Despair, as follows:

Debilitating Aura (3^rd): Enemies within your aura take a profane penalty to armor class, attack rolls, and weapon damage rolls equal to the number of auras from the Suite of Despair that you possess. Creatures that are normally immune to fear lose that immunity while within your aura.

Aura of Despair (6^th): Enemies within your aura take a profane penalty on all saving throws equal to the number of auras from the Suite of Despair that you possess.

Aura of Vengeance (9^th): When you activate your smite good ability, you can also grant it to a number of allies within your aura equal to the number of auras in this suite that you possess. Affected allies that move beyond that radius lose the bonuses.

Aura of Sin (12^th): Your weapons are always treated as cursed for the purposes of overcoming damage reduction and confirming criticals. All attacks made against enemies within your aura are treated as evil-aligned for the purposes of overcoming damage reduction.

Aura of Depravity (15^th): You gains DR 10/good. Whenever you use smite good and successfully strike a good outsider, the outsider is also subject to a banishment (your weapon and unholy symbol automatically count as objects that the subject hates). After the banishment effect and the damage from the attack is resolved, the smite immediately ends. In addition, whenever you channel negative energy or use touch of corruption to damage a creature, you deal the maximum possible amount.

Bonus Feats: You can gain sneak attack +1d6 (as the rogue class feature) in place of a bonus feat; each additional feat spent on sneak attack increases your sneak attack damage by +1d6.

Mercy (Su): In lieu of removing conditions by laying on hands, you gain the ability to inflict conditions through your attacks, or with your touch of corruption. At 4^th level, choose one Strike feat for which you meet the prerequisites. You gain another such feat at 7^th, 10^th, and 13^th levels.

Hellknight (Champion of Tyranny)

This variant represents a champion of Lawful Evil, equivalent to the Hellknight from the Inner Sea Guide or the Paladin of Tyranny from the 3.5 edition System Reference Document (“Variant Character Classes”).

Aura of good: You are [evil] instead of [good], but otherwise retain the [lawful] descriptor.

Detect evil and smite evil: Change to detect chaos and smite chaos, respectively. These abilities work on lawbreakers as if they were chaotic.

Divine Bond (Su): As the standard paladin ability, but change “holy” to “axiomatic” as appropriate. Apply the following additional adjustments:

• Divine Weapon: Add the flaming burst and unholy properties.

• Domain Bond: Choose from the domains of Artifice, Evil, Glory, Knowledge, Law, Magic, Nobility, Protection, Rune, Strength, Travel, or War.

• Special Mount: Instead of a mount, you can choose a fiendish servant or familiar (such as a nightmare or imp) of the appropriate CR.

Divine Grace (Su): Rename as “Devil’s Favor,” but the saving throw bonus is the same. In addition, you do not take any damage or suffer any penalty from diseases. You can still contract diseases and spread them to others, but are otherwise immune to their effects.

Lay on Hands (Su): Rename “deadly touch” or “wrack.” Your touch is imbued with negative energy, damaging living creatures and healing undead. In addition, your deadly touch can deliver the effects of Strike feats as if it were a weapon.

Divine Auras (Su): Instead of auras, you gain the ability to summon monsters to your aid. You may use this ability at will, but only one set of summoned monsters can be in existence at a time (if you use it again, any remaining summoned monsters are dismissed).

• At 3^rd level, this ability is equivalent to summon monster IV (1 hell hound or infernal dire wolf).

• At 6^rd level, this ability is equivalent to summon monster V (1d3 hell hounds or 1 bearded devil).

• At 9^th level, this ability is equivalent to summon monster VI (1d4+1 hell hounds, 1d3 bearded devils, or 1 erinyes).

• At 12^th level, this ability is equivalent to summon monster VII (1d4+1 bearded devils, 1d3 erinyes, or 1 bone devil or Nessian warhound).

• At 15^th level, this ability is equivalent to summon monster VIII (1d4+1 erinyes, 1d3 bone devils or Nessian warhounds, or 1 barbed devil).

Bonus Feats: In lieu of a bonus feat, you can gain a +1 Armor Training bonus (as the fighter talent of the same name, assuming you do not already possess it). For each additional bonus feat you spend on Armor Training, the bonus increases by an additional +1.

Mercy: In lieu of removing conditions by laying on hands, you gain the ability to inflict conditions through your attacks, or with your touch of corruption. At 4^th level, choose one Strike feat for which you meet the prerequisites. You gain another such feat at 7^th, 10^th, and 13^th levels.

Stonelord (Paladin of the Earth)

Some paladins use the powers of the earth to protect their people. In general, a paladin wishing to pursue this path must have one of the following additional prerequisites: mountain dwarf race; access to the Earth domain or Stone mystery; or Deep Earth or Elemental Earth bloodline. This variant represents the dwarven paladin archetype of the same name from the Advanced Race Guide.

Stony Smite (Su): Instead of smiting evil, you gain the ability to perform a stony smite. Once per day per paladin level, you can draw upon the power of the living rock as a swift action. Until the beginning of your next turn, treat your melee attacks as magical and adamantine, including ignoring hardness up to twice your paladin level, with a +1 sacred bonus on attack and damage rolls, as well as on combat maneuver checks. This bonus also applies to your CMD if you or your target is touching the ground or a stone structure. This bonus increases by +1 per 3 levels above 1^st (+2 at 4^th, +3 at 7^th, +4 at 10^th, and +5 at 13^th level).

Divine Bond (Su): As the Special Mount option, but you gain an earth elemental servant that increases in power similarly.

Divine Grace (Su): Instead of a bonus to saving throws, you gain a +1 natural armor bonus to AC and DR/adamantine equal to your paladin level. The natural armor bonus increases by +1 at 5^th level, and by an additional +1 per three class levels thereafter, to a maximum of +5 at 14^th level. These benefits are halved when not touching the ground or a stone structure.

Lay on Hands (Su): Instead of channeling positive energy, you command/rebuke earth elementals and turn elementals of other types, as if by the Command/Turn Elementals feat.

Divine Auras (Su): Instead of auras, you gain access to the Earthblood suite of abilities, as follows.

Stoneblood (3^rd): You gain fortification of 15% x the number of abilities in this suite that you possess (maximum 75%). You also add your paladin level as a sacred bonus to Endurance checks to stabilize at negative hit points.

Defensive Stance (6^th): As the advanced fighter talent of the same name, but you need not meet the normal prerequisites. Rather than a static +4, the attribute bonus provided is equal to the number of abilities in this suite that you possess.

Stonebane (9^th): When using stony smite, a your attacks gain the bane weapon special ability against creatures with the [earth] subtype and against constructs or objects made of earth or stone.

Phase Strike (Strike) (12^th): Your stony smite can pass through stone and metal as if they weren't there. As a standard action, you can make a single melee attack that ignores any cover less than total cover provided by stone or metal, and you ignore any AC bonus from stone or metal armor or shields (as if wielding a brilliant energy weapon). A phase strike cannot damage constructs, objects, or creatures with the [earth] subtype, but unlike a brilliant energy weapon, it can harm undead.

Stone Body (15^th): Your body transforms into living stone. You no longer need to eat, drink, breathe, or sleep.

Bonus Feats: Stonelords can select Earth Domain feats in place of paladin bonus feats.

Mercy (Su): You must select the ability to remove the petrified condition as your 14^th level mercy.