Paladin

Areas of Focus:

Major: Support

Minor: Defense

Supplemental: Strike

Paladin abilities cover three major categories: close passive and modal support abilities, single target support abilities, and a small number of targeted offensive abilities.

Lore

Paladins are martial zealots, devoted to a god, a ruler, or even a way of life. They can be found in any culture where a fanatical group of like-minded individuals have formed a warrior society dedicated to advancing their cause. Among those aligned to their worldview, paladins are viewed with respect and admiration, if a bit of fear. Many paladins hold leadership positions in armies and mercenary companies, but in the heat of battle their fanaticism often overrules the chain of command—and common sense.

Overview

Paladins are extremely devoted, often fanatical, soldiers who have pledged themselves to a chosen cause, combining the zeal of a priest with the ascetic discipline of a monk. They have founded many elite fighting forces, from the original Darcozzi Paladini, a two-thousand-year-old order of palace guards, to the fledgling Fellows of St. Waidwen Martyr, zealous defenders of the Godhammer pilgrim trail.

Often found at the vanguard of many conflicts, paladins are natural leaders and have the ability to quickly assist their allies with targeted commands. A paladin’s commands can stave off impending death, overcome fatigue, or hasten the charge to close breached defenses. And though they are not always pledged to the service of a god or gods, paladins are so singularly focused on their chosen cause that their souls are continually creating a wellspring of spiritual energy from which they can blast groups of foes in their immediate vicinity. Despite their often stoic presence and explosive combat style, paladins work best alongside allies. When isolated, they can be vulnerable, especially against singular powerful foes.

Starting Stats

Endurance

42 + 12/level (High)

Health

5 x Endurance (High)

Accuracy

25 + 3/level (Average)

Deflection

25 (Very High)

Skill Bonus

Lore +1 Athletics +2

Starting Abilities

Faith and Conviction – An inherent bonus to all defenses that may shift based on reputation.

Paladin Companion

Pallegina mes Rèi

Race: Godlike [Avian Godlike]

Sex: Female

Class: Paladin

Culture/Faction: Vailian/Ducs Bels

Available: Defiance Bay

Age & Appearance: 26 years old, thin athletic woman with dark brown skin, brown afro, and a mix of avian features.

Description: Determined, clever, bold, devoted, headstrong, impatient.

Tactics

Tactical Supporter Build

Advantages: High Survivability, Auras, Targeted Buffs, Several Per-Encounters, Tactical Options

Disadvantages: Lower Damage, Positioning is important, Higher Micro

Strategy

The Tactical Supporter Paladin is meant to go where they are needed most. Usually that is near the largest group of allies, or on the front lines. Positioning is important to ensure that they are providing their Aura to as many allies as possible. Use your encounter abilities constantly as they are potent and will refresh after every combat. Don’t worry too much if you see an ally go down; a well-timed Reviving Exhortation can bring them right back to the fray.

Equipment

Weapon choice is flexible. If more offense is desired, use a Reach weapon or Dual Wield Maces, Sabres, or Battle Axes. If more defense is desired, use a large shield and either a Mace, Hatchet, or Flail. Medium or Heavy armor should be worn, depending on weapon choice. If using a shield, use heavier armor.

Races

Moon Godlike

Hearth Orlan

• Human

Culture

Aedyr or Ixamitl Plains

• Old Vailia or Rauatai

Attributes

Might 11

Constitution 10

Dexterity 4

Perception 18

Intellect 14

• Resolve 18

Order

• Darcozzi Paladini or Kind Wayfarers

Abilities

Flames of Devotion

Zealous Focus or Zealous Endurance

Liberating Exhortation

Reviving Exhortation

Reinforcing Exhortation or Righteous Soul

• Hastening Exhortation

Talents

Fires of Darcozzi Palace or Strange Mercy

Critical Focus

Inspiring Liberation

Weapon and Shield Style or Vulnerable Attack

Field Triage

• Cautious Attack or Envenomed Strike

Alternate Build

Paladins have some of the highest overall defenses in the game. If built to be a heavy tank, they can become nearly invincible. They don’t have the recovery aspect of a fighter, but with abilities like Zealous Endurance and Righteous Soul, they can hold their own without it.

Special Abilities

Class Choice: Paladin Order

All paladins are members of a paladin order that is selected during character creation. In addition to potential role-playing opportunities, a paladin’s order defines two “good” (+) and two “bad” (-) personality traits that paladins must strive to embody and avoid, respectively. The degree to which the paladin is able to do so is mechanically reflected by the strength of his or her Faith and Conviction ability. N.B.: Companion paladins, NPC paladins, and adventurer paladins who are not the main player character have a fixed bonus from Faith and Conviction, unaffected by the personality traits.

Some paladin orders restrict the starting background of the character. This is noted under the order’s name.

Zealous Charge

Zealous Charge

Available at Level 3 (Modal)

Aura Range: 5m (base 5m)

Effects: Friendly Aura: +2 Move Speed, +15 Defense when Disengaging

Inspires the paladin and all nearby allies to charge fiercely into battle, increasing their Movement Speed and Disengagement Defense.

Flames of Devotion

Granted at Level 1 (1 per encounter)

Speed: Instant

Effects: User: Full Attack + 100% Damage as Burn

Calls upon the paladin’s inner fire, causing their equipped weapons to burst into flame and adding 100% Burn damage for their next attacks.

Liberating Exhortation

Available at Level 5 (2 per encounter)

Speed: Fast

Effects: Friendly Target: Hostile effects suspended for 20 sec

Commands an ally to summon all their strength in order to temporarily ignore existing hostile effects. The effects will resume once Liberating Exhortation ends.

Sworn Enemy

Available at Level 5 (3 per rest)

Effects: Foe Target: Marked Prey; + 20 accuracy and +20% damage against single target

Marks an enemy as the focus of the paladin’s righteous fury, granting Accuracy and Damage bonuses against the target until combat ends or the target goes down.

Hastening Exhortation

Available at Level 11 (3 per rest)

Effects: Allied Target: x1.2 Attack Speed for 30 sec

Inspires urgency in one of the paladin’s allies, increasing his or her Attack Speed.

Zealous Focus

Available at Level 3 (Modal)

Aura Range: 2.5m (base 2.5m)

Effects: Friendly Aura: +6 Accuracy

The paladin’s intense and pure conviction instills clarity of purpose in him or her and all allies, increasing their Accuracy.

Zealous Endurance

Available at Level 3 (Modal)

Aura Range: 2.5m (base 2.5m)

Effects: Friendly Aura: +3 Damage Reduction

Fills the paladin and his or her allies with unshakable confidence, increasing their Damage Reduction.

Reinforcing Exhortation

Available at Level 9 (2 per encounter)

Effects: Allied Target: +15 Deflection for 20 sec

Commands an ally to redouble their efforts, improving their Deflection.

Sworn Enemy

Available at Level 5 (3 per rest)

Effects: Foe Target: Marked Prey

Marks an enemy as the focus of the paladin’s righteous fury, granting Accuracy and Damage bonuses against the target until combat ends or the target goes down.

Reviving Exhortation

Available at Level 7 (1 per encounter)

Effects: Friendly Target: Revive with 300 Endurance, -150 Endurance after 15.0 sec

Commands an unconscious ally to get back up, giving a large, but temporary, spike to Endurance—half of which is lost after a short duration.

Righteous Soul

Available at Level 9 (Passive)

The paladin’s pure soul resists all invading forces, granting a bonus to defense against Poison and Disease as well as the Charmed, Dominated, Frightened and Terrified effects—these effects also have their durations reduced by 5 seconds.

Deprive the Unworthy

Available at Level 7 (2 per rest)

Effects: Foe Target: Beneficial effects suspended for 20 sec vs. Will

The paladin temporarily snuffs out all active beneficial effects on a single foe. The effects resume once Deprive the Unworthy ends.

Faith And Conviction

Granted at Level 1 (Passive)

Effects: Self: +5 Deflection, +10 Fortitude, +10 Reflex, +10 Will

A paladin’s Defenses are directly affected by the degree to which he or she acts in accordance with the beliefs of his or her order. A bonus or penalty is applied to Defense based on how well the paladin’s Reputations align with his or her order’s preferred behaviors.

Inspiring Triumph

Available at Level 5

Passive

Area of Effect: 5.0m Radius (base 5.0m)

Effects: Friendly AoE: +7 All Defenses for 10 sec

Inspires all allies in the vicinity when the paladin downs an enemy, providing a temporary bonus to all Defenses.

Lay on Hands

Available at Level 1

1 per encounter

Effects: Allied Target: +33.3 Endurance over 5 sec

Fueled solely by belief, the paladin is able to heal with the touch of his or her hands, recovering a substantial amount of Endurance for the paladin or an ally within range.

Talents

The Black Path (Bleak Walkers)

Grants The Black Path (Passive)

Area of Effect: 4.0m Radius (base 4.0m)

Interrupt: 40 (Average)

Effects: Foe AoE: Frightened for 10 sec vs. Will

When the paladin defeats an opponent, nearby enemies are Frightened.

Bond of Duty (Goldpact Knights)

Modifies Liberating Exhortation (+20 Defense against Charmed attacks, +20 Defense against Confused attacks, +20 Defense against Dominated attacks)

Liberating Exhortation (2 per encounter)

Speed: Fast

Effects: Friendly Target: Hostile effects suspended for 20 sec

Whenever the paladin uses Liberating Exhortation on an ally, the ally gains a large defensive bonus against Charmed, Confused, and Dominated.

Critical Focus

Modifies Zealous Focus (+5% of Hits converted to Crits)

Zealous Focus (Modal)

Aura Range: 2.5m (base 2.5m)

Effects: Friendly Aura: +6 Accuracy

Allies notice the paladin’s zeal and become thoroughly inspired by it. Allies affected by Zealous Focus convert 5% of what would have been ordinary hits to Critical Hits.

Enduring Flames (Goldpact Knights)

Modifies Flames of Devotion (x0.5 Damage inflicted Over Time)

Flames of Devotion (1 per encounter)

Speed: Instant

Effects: User: Full Attack + 100% Damage as Burn

The paladin’s Flames of Devotion do burning damage over time.

Fires of Darcozzi Palace (Darcozzi Paladini)

Modifies Flames of Devotion (+5 Damage Reduction (Freeze), Retaliate when hit by a Melee Attack for 60 sec)

Flames of Devotion (1 per encounter)

Speed: Instant

Effects: User: Full Attack + 100% Damage as Burn

Whenever the paladin uses Flames of Devotion, he or she gains a weak form of Flame Shield.

Deep Faith

Modifies Faith And Conviction (+2 Deflection, +5 Fortitude, +5 Reflex, +5 Will)

Faith And Conviction (Passive)

Effects: Self: +5 Deflection, +10 Fortitude, +10 Reflex, +10 Will

The intensity of the paladin’s faith deepens, granting them increased defensive bonuses to Faith and Conviction.

Inspiring Liberation (Darcozzi Paladini)

Modifies Liberating Exhortation (+10 Accuracy for 20 sec)

Liberating Exhortation (2 per encounter)

Speed: Fast

Effects: Friendly Target: Hostile effects suspended for 20 sec

Whenever the paladin uses Liberating Exhortation on an ally, the ally gains an Accuracy bonus.

Intense Flames

Modifies Flames of Devotion (+50% Damage as Burn)

Flames of Devotion (1 per encounter)

Speed: Instant

Effects: User: Full Attack + 100% Damage as Burn

Augments the power of the paladin’s Flames of Devotion, increasing its damage.

Remember Rakhan Field (Bleak Walkers)

Modifies Flames of Devotion (+50% Damage as Corrode)

Flames of Devotion (1 per encounter)

Speed: Instant

Effects: User: Full Attack + 100% Damage as Burn

The paladin’s Flames of Devotion does additional Corrode damage.

Shielding Flames (Shieldbearers of St. Elcga)

Modifies Flames of Devotion (Additional Attack)

Flames of Devotion (1 per encounter)

Speed: Instant

Effects: User: Full Attack + 100% Damage as Burn

The paladin’s Flames of Devotion grant a temporary Deflection bonus to nearby allies.

Shielding Touch (Shieldbearers of St. Elcga)

Modifies Lay on Hands (+8 Deflection for 10 sec)

Lay on Hands (1 per encounter)

Effects: Allied Target: +33.3 Endurance over 5 sec

Whenever the paladin uses Lay on Hands on an ally, the ally gains a Deflection bonus.

Strange Mercy (Kind Wayfarers)

Grants Strange Mercy (Passive)

Area of Effect: 4.0m Radius (base 4.0m)

Effects: Allied AoE: +20 Endurance

When the paladin defeats an opponent, nearby allies gain Endurance.

The Sword and the Shepherd

Modifies Flames of Devotion (Additional Attack)

Flames of Devotion (1 per encounter)

Speed: Instant

Effects: User: Full Attack + 100% Damage as Burn

The paladin’s Flames of Devotion heal Endurance in nearby allies.

Untroubled Faith (Paladin)

Modifies Faith And Conviction (Faith And Conviction)

Passive

Effects: Self: +5 Deflection, +10 Fortitude, +10 Reflex, +10 Will

The paladin’s beliefs become more than just a sum of his or her actions, negating Reputations that negatively influence Faith and Conviction.