The paladins code

[Sargon]

i have had some disagreement over the paladins code with some people, and i have seen some people do insane things with the paladins code.

such as make pallys fall for cu de grace, or try to get paladins to run from a battle, or other weird things that i dont think would generally fit the paladin class that i like.

none of these interpretations of the paladins code are wrong mind you, its jsut i dont always understand of agree with them.

so i felt the paladins code needed some clerifaction.

here is some of the material that i got from the books about the paladins code.

The players handbook describes lawful good.
A lawful good character acts as a good person is expected or required to act. She combines a commitment to oppose evil with the discipline to fight relentlessly. She tells the truth, keeps her world, helps those in need, and speaks out against injustice. A lawful good character hates to see the guilty go unpunished. Alhandra, a paladin who fights evil without mercy and who protects the innocent without hesitation, is lawful good. Lawful good is the best alignment you can be because it combines honor and compassion.

The players handbook describes the alignment of a paladin.
Paladins must be lawful good, and they lose there divine powers if they deviate from that alighment. Additionally, paladins swear to follow a code of conduct that is in line with lawfulness and goodness.

The players handbook describes the paladin’s code on conduct.
A paladin must be of lawful good alighment and loses all special class abilities if she ever willingly commits an act of evil. Additionally, a paladin’s code requies that she respect legitimate authority, act with honor ( not lying, not cheating, not using poison, ect. ) help those who need help ( provided they do not use the help for evil of chaotic ends), and punish those that harm or threaten others.

so the question i bring to the front is can paladins run from a battle first off? or are they honor bound to be the last that runs from a battle?

these are role playing questions mind you, im sure everyone agrees that the cowardly paladins isnt quite in line with how the paladin is sposed to be played.

[Inertial_Fey]

This depends on the situation of the battle.

If he was alone, and the odds were against him (example: level 3 paladin sees 10 minatuars) then yes, he should run. The pally code says nothing about throwing your life away stupidly.

However the paladin should be the last to run. If the paladin is in a group and they are outmatched he should stay till the others are gone, unless someone wants to stay which then its the paladins call to stay or run.

The pally however, should not run from a battle they can win nor abandon allies in the heat of battle.

[Sargon]

i think if someone was staying in the battle, when all the other were running. the paladin should eather stay with them, or at least stay long enough to drag them aawy if the person is doing seomthing stupid.

[Master Spellblade]

Wouldn't the Paladin respect the person's wishes and run away to protect the others that ran? Or would he just knock the guy out and run with him over his shoulder?

[Sargon]

thats a tough one, knocking him out and carrying him is nice and bad ass, and really that image could not hurt a paladin at all. but at the same time a paladin has courage in his code, and it might not look good on him if someone else was more courageious them he was.

but if the person was all like
"i want to die here" i think probbly the paladin would have to respect that. then say a quick prayer to his god to favor the person who wants to die.

[Lord Kain]

When paladin is in a bind and doesn't know what to do he should say to himself
"What would superman do?"

Superman would never be the last to leave a battle. He'd make sure everyone else was sage before worrying about his own life. A paladin should follow suit.

[Master Spellblade]

Wasn't Superman the world's biggest boy scout? Making him more of a Ranger?

Feh asuming I even know who superman was supposed to resemble.

[Lord Kain]

When they call superman a boy scout they mean becauses he's good, honest and noble and all that. Not because he loves nature.

A Paladin is also the world's biggist boy scout.

[Master Spellblade]

I suppose he is, but don't boy scouts know how to camp and tie knots.

Feh, almost seems like I made a point, almost.

[Lord Kain]

THE WOODS have zero to do with the reference.

[Master Spellblade]

Feh, what ever, I was being facecius.

[Sargon]

that was really intresting how that changed from paladins to supermans abilities.... i love it!

but yes i like that super man thing a lot. its pretty fool proff.

i personally think a lot about how one should play a paladin should come from the deity granting the paladin his power.

like a paladin of torm, for example
if a paladin of torm was protecting someone, it would take a LOT to make him run. even if the odds were on there side and then thesy summoned a balor, i think the paladin of torm might think to hismself "this isnt looking good, but its always darkest before dawn!" in a pinch i really would not count on the paladin of torm to take off if odds were agasint him, even by a lot.

i belive he would ack this way simpally beacuse it is torm is the loyal fury, and he likes loyality, when the time of troubles came torm was the guard for the path back to the planes beacuse ao knew he could count on torm. so if a paladin of torm was protecting someone i would not count on him to run untill that person was safe.

not if the paladin of torm wasnt protecting anything, he would think "they just summoned balors, im done with this"

how a paladin acts can have a LOT to do with there deity.

[Lord Kain]

admin said:

that was really intresting how that changed from paladins to supermans abilities.... i love it!

but yes i like that super man thing a lot. its pretty fool proff.

i personally think a lot about how one should play a paladin should come from the deity granting the paladin his power.

Not all paladins worship a deity only in the forgotten realms are they required. A paladin is not a cleric, A paladin of Kelmvor would behave quite differently then a cleric of Kelmvor.

So I disagree, as all Paladins are lawful good even if there god is lawful neutral (or in Sune's case chaotic good) They still have a same base line of behavior. If you Grayhawk or another campaign world your paladin doesn't need a deity.

Which is why I brought up the point of what would superman do?
It has nothing to do with powers but behavior.
For an outside source Hero superman fits the bill for paladin behavior.

[Sargon]

that is a good point, other paladins jsut worship good.

but the lawful goodness part would be the same anyhow.

[acidsnowman]

masterspellblade said:

I suppose he is, but don't boy scouts know how to camp and tie knots.

Feh, almost seems like I made a point, almost.

i think paladins would be good at camping and tying knots

[Lord Kain]

A Paladin is sworn to valor
Thier heart knows only virture
Thier words speak only truth
Thier might upholds the weak
Thier blade defends the helpless
Thier wraith undoes the wicked.

[Sargon]

i love that paladin code, its so perfect!!

where on earth did you find it?!?!

[Lord Kain]

The movie dragonheart.

[Sargon]

the first dragon heart was very good, that was the knights code wasnt it?

perhaps that needs to be slightly improved... ill give it some thought..... but also ( more then liekly ) its good as is.

if i have a paladin untill i find seomthing better ill jsut have to use that. but ive been looking for a good understandable paladins code for a while now, and this is really good.

[Lord Kain]

Yep it was the knights code.Works well for paladin's to.