ANTI-PALADINS
 Anti-paladins are unholy fighters.
|
An anti-paladin is the antithesis of a holy warrior (see paladins). These skilled non-player character fighters must possess strength and wisdom and have considerable constitution and charisma (create an anti-paladin by using the paladin setting). In return for an anti-paladin's strict adherence to a god of evil and chaos (aberrant eddies of Sesamar and Desamar), they are granted considerable powers.
Anti-Paladins are driven to further chaos and are despicable. If they willingly commit an act of selflessness for the purposes of goodness, they must seek the assistance of a priest (see clerics) of chaotic evil alignment to confess their transgressions. The atoning cleric may require penance, such as donation or a quest, depending upon the nature and severity of the act.
Anti-paladin hierarchy is skills-based and consists of this order:
Menace | Level 1 |
Butcher | Levels 2 - 4 |
Damned | Levels 5 - 8 |
Undoer | Levels 9 - 11 |
Harbinger of Chaos | Levels 12+ |
Special Abilities
Anti-Paladins have several abilities:
- Detect good in a 60' direction, as often as they like.
- Immunity to diseases.
- +2 on all saving throws.
- By laying a hand on a target, the victim makes a saving throw else receives a random disease. This can be done once/day.
- There is a permanent protection from good emanating from the anti-paladin in a 1" radius.
- At the level of Damned, the anti-paladin can control undead at a level of proficiency two levels lower as a cleric.
- At the level of Damned, the anti-paladin may call for his steed, which may be a horse or some other creature.
- Anti-paladins are driven to possess an unholy weapon. This weapon, in addition to its to-hit abilities, can offer some other benefit, such as dispel magic, cone of cold, cause wound, ...
- At the level of Undoer, anti-paladins can cast cleric spells. They can memorize a number of spells, according to experience level, indicated by this table.
Anti-Paladin | Level of Cleric Spell |
Level | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5* |
9 | 1 | | | | |
10 | 2 | | | | |
11 | 2 | 1 | | | |
12 | 3 | 1 | | | |
13 | 3 | 2 | | | |
14 | 3 | 2 | 1 | | |
15 | 3 | 2 | 2 | | |
16 | 3 | 3 | 2 | | |
17 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | |
18 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 | |
19 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | |
20 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | |
21 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 |
22 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 |
23 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 |
24 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 |
25 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 |
* In order for an anti-paladin to cast 5th level spells, the anti-paladin must receive extensive training from a 10th level or higher lawful evil cleric. The cleric will require a hefty donation to his church for time and study materials or demand the anti-paladin complete a quest.
Spells and Memorization
An anti-paladin can cast a memorized spell once/day. After at least 6 hours of restful sleep and 2 hours in a relatively calm environment for meditation, an anti-paladin's spells will return to memory. If a they chooses to reconfigure their spells, it will require time and the anti-paladin's holy symbol. The time it will take to reconfigure these spells is wisdom dependent.
To reconfigure spells, see Spell Memorization.
Limitations, Training, and Background
Anti-Paladins are driven to confront lawful goodness and are always on the move. This means they carry few items -- often whatever they can carry with them as they carry out their evil deeds. Besides, they take what they want from those who are weaker or less intelligent.
Much like paladins, anti-paladins are schooled in academic disciplines that include history, language, governance, and civic duty. Evil priests (see clerics) will provide training regarding some selfish code and adherence to an evil god of chaos or possibly a demon. They will receive training from a swordsman (see fighters) to become skilled with tactics, weaponry, and armor. This training is dependent upon wealthy sponsors.
The genesis of an anti-paladin can occur two different ways. They can be the product of an evil coven of priests, possibly a society that is devoted to an evil god or demon. They can also come from fallen paladins who have betrayed their lawful good oaths and failure to follow the strict regimens of their god.
Anti-Paladins would be reviled, as their presence in a good civilized community is an anathema to Sesamar and Desamar.
Orisons
All anti-paladins can cast this orison starting at the fifth level.
Detect Undead:
The paladin will be able to detect if there is an undead presence. The area of effect is a circle that has a diameter of 1 mile per level of the caster. The caster will receive a direction and distance if an undead presence exists, but no details of the presence will be received. If there are multiple groups of undead, the paladin will gain the direction and distance of the largest undead presence (for each group of undead, the sum of their hit dice will be compared for this purpose).
Once anti-paladins are able to cast spells, they can start casting additional orisons, one orison available to clerics per level of the anti-paladin.
|