The Paladin

By Awful Good Games with minor adaptations by Sage1029

Hell awaits. An eternity of torment in fire or ice or whatever best suits the sins of the damned throngs of Akratia beyond the Black Gates. All that stands between the pits of that grim torture and salvation is you. Holy man, armored war machine, templar of the Good and the Light, right? The cleric may say his prayers at night to the gods, dwelling in their heavens. The fighter may wield his sharp sword in the name of “good” but you know. Only you.

Eyes, hands, and sweet killing blow of the gods, you are. Yours is the gift of righteousness and virtue. Of justice. Vision, too. A purity of intent that your companions do not have. So guide these fools, paladin. Take up your holy cause and bring salvation to the wastrel world.

Vae victis, right?

Building a Paladin

Pick your Race

Dwarf

When you embark upon a righteous quest, gain +1-Armor from your conviction

Elf

You can choose to treat all those things that threaten the forests and the trees as 'evil'

Halfling

As a halfling, you are immune to the curses and corruptions that evil items might inflict upon you

Human

Your kind are known for their flexible values - the GM will give you two options to atone for violating one of your Virtues

Choose why you became a Paladin

Drive Back the Darkness

When you deal damage to a denizen of darkness, roll twice and take the better result.

Help Others

You serve someone, whether a god, king, or even the people. When you undertake a quest from whoever you serve, hold 3-Dedication. When you make a move to overcome an obstacle related in some way to your quest, you can spend 1-Dedication to act as if you'd taken the 10+ result. When you complete the quest, Mark-XP.

Protect the Weak

You became a paladin to protect others from the forces of evil. When you use Defend to protect someone, take +1-Armor ongoing and ignore the Forceful tag until you have no more hold.

Starting Moves

Your Paladin starts with 25-COIN. Your Damage Die is d10. You start with all these moves:

Virtues

When you create your Paladin, choose three virtues that you embrace wholeheartedly, above all others. if you do something forbidden by a virtue you embrace, you lose its benefits as well as its Advanced Moves that require it until you atone - the GM will tell you what must be done.

• Charity (Sacrifice): When you touch a creature, you can transfer HP to them - their wounds slowly disappear and reappear on you. Forbidden: You cannot refuse to help those in need, unless helping them would cause more harm to others.
• Chastity (Purity): You are immune to all poisons and disease. Forbidden: You cannot lie, drink, use drugs, or have casual sex.
• Diligence (Persistence): When you make a move and roll a 6-, gain Advantage to your next move. Forbidden: You cannot needlessly waste time.
• Humility (Bravery): You are immune to the effects of fear, magical or otherwise, and allies that see you take ongoing Advantage against fear effects. Forbidden: You cannot surrender or flee from combat.
• Kindness (Loyalty): When you Aid an ally, you can always choose to roll +CHA instead of another stat. Forbidden: You cannot betray anyone.
• Patience (Mercy): When you try to prevent conflict, gain Advantage to your attempt. Forbidden: You cannot needlessly kill Intelligent creatures.
• Temperance (Restraint): When you make a move and roll a 10+, you can instead treat it as a 7-9 and hold 1-Control. When you make a move and miss, you can spend 1-Control to treat it as if you rolled a 7-9 instead, but you do not Mark-XP. You can only have 1-Control at a time. Forbidden: You cannot own an excess of wealth or possessions.

Smite Evil

You deal +1d4 damage against the denizens of evil.

Armored

You ignore the Clumsy tag when wearing armor.

Advanced Moves

Levels 2-5

When you gain a level from 2-5, and you choose to take an Advanced Move, you may choose from these moves:

Aura of Courage

Requires: Virtue of Humility
Allies that can see you are immune to the Terrifying tag. When you order hirelings to do something dangerous, if you stand with them, gain Advantage.

Ever Vigilant

Requires: Virtue of Diligence
You cannot be surprised by enemies. When you Stay Sharp, a miss counts as a 7-9.

Foresight

Requires: Virtue of Temperance
When you use Virtue of Temperance, you can now hold 3-Control.

Lay on Hands

Requires: Virtue of Charity
You have a pool of points equal to 5xCHA. When you touch a wounded creature, you can reduce that pool by any amount and heal the creature for an equal amount. When you Make Camp, reset them to their maximum.

Martyr

Requires: Virtue of Charity AND Virtue of Humility
When you take your Last Breath, as long as you were standing in the face of danger you roll +CHA. In addition, when you take your Last Breath, if you survive Mark-XP.

Into the Fray

Requires: Virtue of Humility
When you charge into combat, allies that see you gain Advantage.

Protector

Requires: Virtue of Charity
When you use Defend to protect someone, hold +1, and ✴on a 6-, you still hold 1. In addition, when you spend hold to redirect an attack to yourself, reduce any damage taken by 1d4.

Quarter

Requires: Virtue of Patience
When you offer a defeated enemy quarter, roll +CHA. ✴On a 10+, choose two. ✴On a 7-9, choose one:

• Your enemy will leave, never to return
• Your enemy swears never to do you or your allies harm
• Your enemy will fight with you as an ally for a time

Radiant Aegis

When you take damage from an evil creature, any damage absorbed by your armor is reflected back upon them, ignoring their armor.

See Through Deception

Requires: Virtue of Chastity
You can see through any lie, including magical illusions.

Sense Evil

Requires: Virtue of Diligence
When you Discern Realities, you can ask the GM what here is evil, even ✴on a 6-.

Shining Beacon

Replaces: Smite Evil
You deal +1d6 damage against the denizens of evil, and when a denizen of evil is near you, your weapon glows as bright as a torch.

'Tis But a Scratch

Requires: Virtue of Diligence
Increase your maximum HP by 5, and you recover more easily from debilities.

Virtuous Soul

Choose an additional two Virtues that you embrace

Levels 6 Onwards

When you gain a level from 6 onwards, and you choose to take an Advanced Move, you may choose from these moves, or the Levels 2-5 Moves.

Blinding Radiance

Requires: Radiant Aegis
When an evil creature takes damage from Radiant Aegis, they are also blinded for a few moments.

Fell the Fallen

Requires: Shining Beacon
When you deal damage to the denizens of evil, you ignore their armor and magical defenses, and the attack gains the Agonizing tag.

Lead by Example

Requires: Into the Fray
When you order hirelings, as long as you stand with them you always take the 10+ result.

Prudent Action

Requires: Foresight
You can also spend 1-Control to turn a 7-9 result in a 10+, or 2-Control to turn a 6- result into a 10+. [

Purifying Touch

Requires: Lay on Hands
When you touch a creature, you can cure them of one poison or disease afflicting them, and you gain Disadvantage. Your very touch is considered a weapon with the Hand tag against the forces of evil.

Redemption

Requires: Quarter
When you use Quarter, choose +1 and ✴on a 6-, you still choose one in addition to whatever else the GM says.

Repel the Darkness

Requires: Virtue of Humility AND Virtue of Purity
Allies Near you have ongoing +1-Armor against damage inflicted by evil creatures and sources, and take ongoing Advantage against evil magic.

Revelations

Requires: Sense Evil
By your command, you can dispel illusions and force creatures to assume their true form.

Righteous Soul

Requires: Virtuous Soul
Choose an additional two Virtues that you embrace.

Sentinel

Requires: Ever Vigilant
When you Stay Sharp, you take the 10+ result, and your allies gain Advantage against whatever threatens them.

Unbreakable

Requires: 'Tis But a Scratch
When you are reduced to 0 HP, you can mark a debility and regain HP equal to your Level +CON. You cannot use this move if you have six or more debilities.

Death Move: Eternal Guardian

You have proven yourself such a valiant champion of your beliefs that not even death will keep you away from furthering your cause. When you die, your spirit lives on with those who remember you. Each other player present at your death holds 1-Reckoning. When another player is in dire need, they can spend 1-Reckoning to summon your spirit to aid them. This spirit comes with 6-hold for the Defend move, deals 10 damage with any attack it makes, grants Advantage to any move it helps out on, and has enough power to restore 3d6 HP or remove 1 disease or debility from any one person. Your spirit will stick around long enough to see the trouble through before fading away, and only those who knew you in life will be able to see this spirit.

Credits

Paladin playbook by Awful Good Games. The text of The Paladin is released under a [https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/]Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International license. The Death Move is from Boldly Games' Grim World.