Another Question About Character Submissions...

[ShiffDrgnhrt]

I know I've been all over the forums lately, but I've had a lot of questions.  I'm interested in making a character based on a character in a story I'm writing.  He's like a Paladin, with a Lay On Hands type ability, he doesn't really follow any god, is more chaotic good than lawful,and is really just a fighter with LOH and but trying to make a submission that would create that seems like I'm power gaming... minmaxing or whatever its called.  Thing is, I like the character in my story and I wanted to try and somehow make him in Layo in a reasonable way.  Now I know if I want the LOH I'd need 5 levels of Paladin cause of the rules, but I was curious if anyone has ever gotten to make their own class.  Now I realize I have no chance of being allowed to, but I can ask right?

The only other thing I can see as wanting to do I going through 5/6 lvls of Paladin, and then switching to Fighter and going on from there...  But I still feel like thats not allowed....

Well lemme know.  Because starting off as a fighter, switching to a paladin for the bonuses and then going back would definitely not be allowed...  And my other option is RPable...  I'm sure there are Paladins that get tired of the Dogma...

[Carillon]

Hi ShiffDrgnhrt,

I'm pretty new here too, but let me give you my two cents. While it sounds like an interesting concept, I am not quite sure how this would work. To my knowledge, Lay on Hands is not an ability that is intrinsic to a paladin; rather, it is a manifestation of their faith in their god. Paladins are beacons of righteousness in the names of their gods, not simply good people who follow the rules and have honor and such.

As such, if a paladin ever falls from the faith -- or in this case also changes alignments to become non-lawful -- they become "ex-Paladins", and while remaining capable fighters, lose all of their god-given abilities. Including Lay on Hands. This is not only consistent with RP and the rules of PnP, but is in fact part of the engine.

To this end, a chaotic fighter that follows no god might have considerable skill applying bandages and dressing wounds in the field, but would not be able to call down the divine healing powers of the closest available deity. However, if you are determined to have a fighter with supernatural healing powers who is chaotic good in alignment, you might consider multiclassing with bard. Bards can be chaotic (and in fact cannot be lawful), and possess arcane healing abilities. Also, it would probably be possible to RP most of the characteristics of your noble, honorable fighter as a fighter/bard without having to deal with the pesky issues of dogma and faith.

Hope this helps,

Carillon

p.s. Remember armor can interfere with the casting of arcane spells, including healing spells. This would probably limit your character to healing after battles, as he would have less success healing his comrades in the heat of a fight wearing big clanky fighter armor!

[Acacea]

Correct. Beat me to a rambling opportunity...

[ShiffDrgnhrt]

Hmmm.....  Well...  I guess I didn't think of that.   I've actually never Played DnD PnP wise, only in PC versions like NWN or Baldurs Gate, so I'm not 100% on how it all works.  But I guess that makes sense, a Paladin would lose his powers after breaking from his faith...  Hmmm...  I guess I'll go with just a fighter and invest some SP in Heal.  Can't apply my story to Dnd anyway, its not even DnDish...  Well thank you for that info though.  Just one more question...  Can fighters freely multiclass with a Weapons Master?  Or would I require a CDQ for that?  I like to plan WAY ahead

Oh and no one answered my Question about custom classes, even though I probably know the answer already

[Carillon]

Hello again,

From what I've read, a CDQ would be required for a transition to Weapon Master, or at the very least a well-maintained and updated CDT indicating why this is a logical progression for the character to take (etc etc).

With regards to the custom class, trust your intuition.  Unfortunately, this would only cause a LOT of work, and possibly chaos and the end of the world. (Or at the very least, the end of Dorganath and Orth's worlds).

Good luck!

Carillon

[ShiffDrgnhrt]

*laughs*  I thought so, but it never hurts to ask.  As to the CDT or CDQ stuff...  What fighter in his right mind would spend his life doing nothing but just fighting.... Wait... I know that answer....  ME!!!! And Khelgar Ironfist...

[Acacea]

For most classes, characters may call themselves whatever they like. It's not as if all rogues are CN pickpockets; some are scouts and refer to themselves as such, or multiclass with others to achieve a certain 'feel.' They are still bound by the limitations of their classes, though. A 5rogue/5bard is not a level 10 "brogue" or something, hehe...your character doesn't see themselves as half and half, but as far as mechanical abilities go, you are still made of two level five classes, not one level 10 mix.

Other classes have much less wiggle room, like the divine classes and the monk. A monk may not study at a monastery or call himself a monk or use the 'ki' standard explanation for his abilities, but he is still bound by the limitations of the class and the strict discipline of the monk. A cleric has little wiggle room as to the source of their abilities, as there are no godless clerics on Layonara, meaning they're all servants of deities, no wiggling. Likewise with paladins.

In short, you can use the default classes and mixes thereof to make something unique to your character, yes--particularly because what they believe does not have to be true. But there is still a basic framework for each of those classes, and some things can't be wiggled out of. (Like paladins.)

Fighters may freely multiclass with Weapon Master once approved to take the levels in the first place. It is unlikely that you would require a CDQ as its a mundane class. So with a good development thread for roleplayed development and a decent submission, that would be fine.