Anti-Paladin (3.5e Class)

An anti-paladin and his nightmare mount (by reise)

Anti-Paladin

“	I am the instrument of divine justice; my blade will reshape this world as the god of battle sees fit!	”
—Vordayn the Dire, anti-paladin

Anti-Paladins are the fanatical zealots serving evil deities as crusaders, commanders, and champions. They are the profane standard-bearers, the battle-line breakers, and the unforgiving masters of fell armies. Anti-Paladins serve their deity by spreading their dogma and mercilessly slaying those who refuse to convert. The evil of an anti-paladin is an unequivocal force that shakes even the mightiest warriors of goodness.

However, lower level anti-paladins may become just the opposite. They may put on a polite and mild-mannered facade, but their intents remain the same. Much like your average paladin can range from a beacon of hope to a tool of holy wrath, your average anti-paladin may lie through his teeth, and paint himself a noble hero, or they may simply be the darkest most twisted husks of knights one could imagine.

Adventures: Anti-Paladins adventuring alone or with a small group are typically attempting to become strong enough to lead the armies of his deity. Adventuring provides an anti-paladin with an opportunity to suffuse his deity's will throughout the land as well as overcome challenges and defeat the opponents of his agenda. Some may be on profane quests offered by his order. Anti-Paladins frequently refer to their adventures as crusades.

Characteristics: Anti-Paladins are carefully crafted leaders. They are brutal and unrelenting, placing their every resource on the line to achieve a goal. Anti-Paladins exist to bring glory to their deity first, and then to their Order and self (though many scheme for themselves above their Order).

Alignment:' Anti-Paladins are invariably any alignment. They are often the subject of direct orders, and expect their subordinates (that is, everyone else) to follow orders as well.

Religion: Anti-Paladins are devout followers of the patron deity of their Order. While any evil deity could have an anti-paladin order, more prominent orders fall under the auspices of the more violent deities.

Background: Most anti-paladins are abducted as children after a raid. Those that survive the ordeal of childhood in an anti-paladin order are typically so warped by the experience that the title of anti-paladin has an appeal that they cannot deny. Many take their ascension to anti-paladinhood with pride bordering on (and often fully qualified as) hubris, and some are outright insane.

Some anti-paladins who hail from particularly corrupt societies are forced into an anti-paladin order by their parents to maintain the family reputation. In such societies, an anti-paladin order may even be a mere extension of the military complex that already defines the social system.

Races: Anti-Paladin orders typically take only one race for their initiates, but a deity may have many anti-paladin orders at his disposal. Most anti-paladin orders are composed of humans, elves, or half-elves, though some exceptions may exist.

Other Classes: Anti-Paladins tend to work best with fighters or other classes that they can bully, but consider it a point of pride to work with a cleric of their deity. Anti-Paladins are distrustful toward others of the class and feel secure only when they are the leader of the group.

Role: An anti-paladin will always try to assume the leadership position. Anti-Paladins are so convinced of their own strength and infallibility that having anyone else lead would be an insult.

Making an Anti-Paladin

Anti-Paladins have the following game statistics.

Abilities: Charisma enhances an Anti-Paladin's smiting powers, ability to rebuke undead, and primary class skills. Strength is important for him because of his role in direct combat. A Wisdom score of 11 is required to access the most basic Anti-Paladin spells, and a score of 14 or higher is required to his most powerful spells (at later levels).

Alignment: Lawful Evil

Starting Gold: As Paladin

Starting Age: As Paladin

Table: The Anti-Paladin

Hit Die: d10

Level	Base Attack Bonus	Saving Throws			Special	Spells per Day
		Fort	Ref	Will		1^st	2^nd	3^rd	4^th
1st	+1	+2	+0	+0	Aura of Evil, Detect Good, Smite Good 1/Day	—	—	—	—
2nd	+2	+3	+0	+0	Dark Blessing, Lay on Hands, Negative Energy Healing	—	—	—	—
3rd	+3	+3	+1	+1	Aura of Cowardice, Intimidation Specialization, Unholy Vitality	—	—	—	—
4th	+4	+4	+1	+1	Rebuke Undead	0	—	—	—
5th	+5	+4	+1	+1	Smite Good 2/Day, Special Mount	0	—	—	—
6th	+6/+1	+5	+2	+2	Inflict Disease 1/Week	1	—	—	—
7th	+7/+2	+5	+2	+2		1	—	—	—
8th	+8/+3	+6	+2	+2		1	0	—	—
9th	+9/+4	+6	+3	+3	Inflict Disease 2/Week	1	0	—	—
10th	+10/+5	+7	+3	+3	Smite Good 3/Day	1	1	—	—
11th	+11/+6/+1	+7	+3	+3		1	1	0	—
12th	+12/+7/+2	+8	+4	+4	Inflict Disease 3/Week	1	1	1	—
13th	+13/+8/+3	+8	+4	+4		1	1	1	—
14th	+14/+9/+4	+9	+4	+4		2	1	1	0
15th	+15/+10/+5	+9	+5	+5	Inflict Disease 4/Week, Smite Good 4/Day	2	1	1	1
16th	+16/+11/+6/+1	+10	+5	+5		2	2	1	1
17th	+17/+12/+7/+2	+10	+5	+5		2	2	2	1
18th	+18/+13/+8/+3	+11	+6	+6	Inflict Disease 5/Week	3	2	2	1
19th	+19/+14/+9/+4	+11	+6	+6		3	3	3	2
20th	+20/+15/+10/+5	+12	+6	+6	Smite Good 5/Day	3	3	3	3
Class Skills (2 + Int modifier per level; x4 at first level) Bluff (Cha), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Disguise (Cha), Handle Animal (Cha), Heal (Wis), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (Religion) (Int), Profession (Wis), Ride (Dex), and Sense Motive (Wis).

Class Features

All of the following are class features of the Anti-Paladin.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Anti-Paladins are proficient with all simple and martial weapons, with all types of armor, (medium, and heavy), as well as with shields (except tower shields).

Aura of Evil (Ex): The power of an anti-paladin's aura of evil (see the Detect Evil spell) is equal to his anti-paladin level, just like the aura of a cleric of an evil deity.

Detect Good (Sp): An anti-paladin can use detect good at will, as the spell.

Smite Good (Su): Once per day, an anti-paladin may attempt to smite good with one normal melee attack. He adds his Charisma bonus (if any) to his attack roll and deals 2 extra point of damage per anti-paladin level. If the anti-paladin accidentally smites a creature that is not good, the smite has no effect, but the ability is still used up for that day.

At 5th level, and at every five levels thereafter, the anti-paladin may smite good one additional time per day, as indicated on Table: The anti-paladin, to a maximum of five times per day at 20th level.

Dark Blessing (Su): At 2nd level, an anti-paladin gains a bonus equal to her Charisma bonus (if any) on all saving throws.

Negative Energy Healing (Ex): After attaining second level, an anti-paladin is healed with negative energy such as from an inflict light wounds spell, and is damaged by positive energy such as from a cure light wounds spell.

Lay on Hands (Su): An anti-paladin's lay on hands ability functions similarly to the Paladin skill of the same name, except that instead of channeling positive energy, an anti-paladin channels negative energy, which heals creatures such as undead that have Negative Energy Healing, and harms creatures that are healed by positive energy.

Aura of Cowardice (Su): Beginning at third level, an anti-paladin becomes immune to fear (magical or otherwise). Each opponent within 10 feet of him takes a -4 penalty on saving throws against fear effects and opposed checks from the Intimidate skill. This ability functions while the anti-paladin is conscious, but not if he is unconscious or dead.

Unholy Vitality (Ex): At 3rd level, an anti-paladin gains immunity to all diseases, including supernatural and magical diseases (such as mummy rot and lycanthropy).

Intimidation Specialization: After attaining third level, when an anti-paladin uses the Intimidate skill to demoralize an opponent in combat (see Intimidate skill), it takes only a move action.

Rebuke Undead (Su): When an anti-paladin reaches 4th level, he gains the supernatural ability to rebuke undead creatures by channelling negative energy through his body. He rebukes undead as an evil cleric two levels lower than his anti-paladin level. This ability requires an unholy symbol.

Special Mount (Sp): Upon reaching 5th level, an anti-paladin gains the service of an unusually intelligent, strong, and loyal steed to serve him in his crusade against good (see below). This mount is usually a heavy warhorse (for a Medium anti-paladin) or a warpony (for a Small anti-paladin).

Once per day, as a full-round action, an anti-paladin may magically call his mount from the infernal realms in which it resides. This ability is the equivalent of a spell of a level equal to one-third the anti-paladin’s level. The mount immediately appears adjacent to the anti-paladin and remains for 2 hours per anti-paladin level; it may be dismissed at any time as a free action. The mount is the same creature each time it is summoned, though the anti-paladin may release a particular mount from service.

Each time the mount is called, it appears in full health, regardless of any damage it may have taken previously. The mount also appears wearing or carrying any gear it had when it was last dismissed. Calling a mount is a conjuration (calling) effect.

Should the anti-paladin’s mount die, it immediately disappears, leaving behind any equipment it was carrying. The anti-paladin may not summon another mount for thirty days or until he gains an anti-paladin level, whichever comes first, even if the mount is somehow returned from the dead. During this thirty-day period, the anti-paladin takes a –1 penalty on attack and weapon damage rolls.

See The Paladin's Mount for additional information regarding an anti-paladin's mount, which is the evil equivalent of the standard paladin's mount.

Inflict Disease (Sp): Beginning at 6th level an anti-paladin gains the spell-like ability to use Contagion as the spell at a caster level equal to his class level. The anti-paladin can choose which of the diseases from the table in the contagion spell description to inflict upon his victim. This ability is only effective against living creatures, and requires a melee touch attack to deliver. This ability is usable once per week at 6th level, twice per week at 9th level, three times per week at 12th level, four times per week at 15th level, and five times per week at 18th level.

Spells: Beginning at 4th level, an anti-paladin gains the ability to cast a small number of divine spells, which are drawn from the anti-paladin spell list (see below). An anti-paladin must choose and prepare his spells in advance.

To prepare or cast a spell, an anti-paladin must have a Wisdom score equal to at least 10 + the spell level. The Difficulty Class for a saving throw against a paladin’s spell is 10 + the spell level + the paladin’s Wisdom modifier.

Like other spellcasters, an anti-paladin can cast only a certain number of spells of each spell level per day. His base daily spell allotment is given on Table: The Anti-Paladin. In addition, he receives bonus spells per day if he has a high Wisdom score. When Table: The Anti-Paladin indicates that the anti-paladin gets 0 spells per day of a given spell level, he gains only the bonus spells he would be entitled to based on his Wisdom score for that spell level The anti-paladin does not have access to any domain spells or granted powers, as a cleric does.

An anti-paladin prepares and casts spells the way a cleric does, though he cannot lose a prepared spell to spontaneously cast a cure spell in its place. An anti-paladin may prepare and cast any spell on the anti-paladin spell list, provided that he can cast spells of that level, but he must choose which spells to prepare during his daily meditation.

Through 3rd level, an anti-paladin has no caster level. At 4th level and higher, his caster level is one-half his paladin level.

Anti-paladin choose their spells from the following list:

1st—Axiomatic Water, Bane, Cause Fear, Clear Mind, Curse Water, Deafening Clang, Inflict Light Wounds, Detect Poison, Detect Undead, Divine Favor, Divine Sacrifice, Endure Elements, Lesser Energized Shield, Find Temple, Golden Barding, Grave Strike, Know Greatest Enemy, Lionheart, Moment of Clarity, Lesser One Mind, Resist Planar Alignment, Magic Weapon, Protection From Chaos/Good, Read Magic, Resistance, Resurgence, Rhino's Rush, Second Wind, Silverbeard, Sticky Saddle, Strategic Charge, Traveler's Mount, Vision of Glory, Warning Shout, Restoration, Lesser, Virtue.

2nd—Aura of Glory, Bull's Strength, Cloak of Bravery, Darkness, Divine Insight, Divine Protection, Energized Shield, Fell the Greatest Foe, Flame of Faith, Hand of Divinity, Unholy Mount, Knight's Move, Loyal Vassal, One Mind, Quick March, Shield of Warding, Spiritual Chariot, Strength of Stone, Death Knell, Delay Poison, Eagle's Splendor, Owl's Wisdom, Ghoul Touch, Resist Energy, Undetectable Alignment.

3rd—Inflict Moderate Wounds, Deeper Darkness, Dispel Magic, Heal Mount, Magic Circle Against Chaos, Magic Circle Against Good, Greater Magic Weapon, Prayer, Blindness/Deafness, Bestow Curse

4th—Claws of the Savage, Inflict Serious Wounds, Dispel Chaos/Good, Unholy Weapon, Break Enchantment, Death Ward, Draconic Might, Winged Mount

Code of the Order: An anti-paladin must be of lawful evil alignment and loses all class abilities if he ever willingly commits a good act (exceptions made for minor good acts such as aiding a party member, etc. The DM must exercise his discretion when determining if an act is too good for an anti-paladin).

Additionally, an anti-paladin’s code requires that he respect the authority of his order or other ruling body, actively thwart the efforts of good, assist those belonging to his order (provided they do not use the help for good or chaotic ends), and punish those who stand in the way of his anti-paladin order.

Associates: While he may adventure with characters of any evil or neutral alignment, an anti-paladin will never knowingly associate with good characters, nor will he continue an association with someone who consistently offends his order's code. An anti-paladin may accept only henchmen, followers, or cohorts who are evil.

Ex-Anti-Paladins

An anti-paladin who ceases to be lawful evil, who willfully commits an act that is severely out of step with his alignment, or who grossly violates the code of conduct loses all anti-paladin spells and abilities (including the service of the anti-paladin’s mount, but not weapon, armor, and shield proficiencies). He may not progress any farther in levels as an anti-paladin. He regains his abilities and advancement potential if he atones for his violations (see the atonement spell description), as appropriate.

Like a member of any other class, an anti-paladin may be a multiclass character, but multiclass anti-paladins face a special restriction. An anti-paladin who gains a level in any class other than anti-paladin may never again raise his anti-paladin level, though he retains all his anti-paladin abilities.

Paladinhood

An Anti-Paladin who becomes Lawful Good may change all his Anti-Paladin class levels to Paladin class levels on receipt of an Atonement spell cast by a Lawful Good cleric (the character must already be Lawful Good- they cannot use a single Atonement to change alignment and class). Equally, a Paladin who becomes Lawful Evil may become an Anti-Paladin on receipt of an Atonement spell from a Lawful Evil caster.

If a Anti-Paladin was a Paladin prior to becoming an Anti-Paladin all of his Paladin levels are converted into equivalent Anti-Paladin levels.

Epic Anti-Paladin

Table: The Epic Anti-Paladin

Hit Die: d10

Level	Special
21st	Inflict Disease 6/Week
22nd	—
23rd	Bonus Feat
24th	Inflict Disease 7/Week
25th	Smite Good 6/Day
26th	Bonus Feat
27th	Inflict Disease 8/Week
28th	—
29th	Bonus Feat
30th	Inflict Disease 9/Week
2 + Int modifier skill points per level.

Lay on Hands (Su): Each day an anti-paladin can cause a total amount of hit point damage equal to his Charisma bonus (if any) times his class level, as normal

Smite Good (Su): The epic anti-paladin adds his class level to damage with any smite good attack, as normal. He can smite one additional time per day for every five levels higher than 20^th.

Rebuke Undead: The epic anti-paladin rebukes undead as a cleric of two levels lower, as normal.

Spells: The anti-paladin’s caster level is equal to one-half his class level, as normal. The anti-paladin’s number of spells per day does not increase after 20th level.

Special Mount: The epic anti-paladin’s special mount continues to increase in power. Every five levels after 20th the special mount gains +2 bonus Hit Dice, its natural armor increases by +2, its Strength adjustment increases by +1, and its Intelligence increases by +1. The mount’s spell resistance equals the anti-paladin’s class level + 5.

Inflict Disease (Sp): The epic anti-paladin can use inflict disease one additional time per week for every three levels higher than 18th.

Bonus Feats: The epic anti-paladin gains a bonus feat (selected from the list of epic anti-paladin feats) every three levels higher than 20th.

Epic Paladin Bonus Feat List: Armor Skin, Devastating Critical, Epic Leadership, Epic Prowess, Epic Reputation, Epic Toughness, Epic Weapon Focus, Great Smiting, Unholy Strike, Improved Combat Casting, Improved Spell Capacity, Legendary Commander, Legendary Rider, Overwhelming Critical, Permanent Emanation, Planar Turning, Spectral Strike, Spontaneous Spell.

Anti-Paladin Starting Package

Weapons: .

Skill Selection: Pick a number of skills equal to 4 + Int modifier.

Skill	Ranks	Ability	Armor Check Penalty

Feat: .

Bonus Feats: .

Gear: .

Gold: .

Playing a Anti-Paladin

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Advancement: .

Anti-Paladins in the World

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Daily Life: .

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Anti-Paladin Lore

Characters with ranks in can research to learn more about them. When a character makes a skill check, read or paraphrase the following, including information from lower DCs.

DC	Result
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Anti-Paladins in the Game

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EL : .

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