Example Paladin Codes

Example #1

  • I know that mischief brings joy to those who partake in it, but mischief must never come at the expense of another’s well-being. Theft is not inherently wrong, but theft must not be employed when it furthers suffering.
  • I will not hesitate to fight against those who oppress or attack the innocent.
  • I will never fail to help a friend in need.
  • I will acknowledge whenever I, or others, have benefited from a lucky turn of events.
  • It is my sacred duty to learn and explore.
  • I freely serve my community and share my worldly goods with others, so I might demonstrate charity by example.
  • I will defend children in particular from abuse and evil, so their unwritten future can remain bright.

Example #1

  • Transcendence requires tranquility. No one can learn who is hungry or afraid. My first goal must be to ensure peace and stability for the greatest number of people possible.
  • Enlightenment requires truth. I will not deny knowledge to those who seek answers without ill will, even if it seems to be harmful in the short term, as those who have false information will follow a false path.
  • All can find their way to enlightenment. Whenever possible, intelligent creatures should be reasoned with and their grievances understood. Even if no negotiated resolution is possible, the use of force is always to be regretted, for it represents a failure.
  • Ignorance is not malice. The misguided deserve mercy. They should be shown the error of their ways and given a fair chance to make amends.
  • Malice creates ignorance. Those who deliberately blind themselves to the concerns of others, the consequences of their actions, or the obligations of empathy spread and encourage these behaviors to those around them. Those who mislead others or argue in bad faith for the sake of their own selfishness must be opposed, and the truth of their actions revealed.

Example #1

  • Bonds are what give our society strength. Though families and communities are complex and ever changing, I will focus to maintain the positive connections with my own family and community, and encourage others to do the same.
  • No law, price, or justification can legitimize slavery. I will free slaves where I find them and will never enslave another creature to act against its own will.
  • Conquest is destruction. I will always fight to defend others from violent subjugation, and no tyrant will ever receive my deference.
  • I understand that failure is expected, and that my life belongs to more than myself. If I give my life for others, I do so fully respecting its worth, and I will do my best to prevent others from committing pointless sacrifices.
  • Love is the province of the brave. If I value something, I must not hide my feelings. I will show the world my love by protecting that which I cherish. My example lends my strength to those who share my love but fear to act.
  • I will defend liberty, even when it challenges established community and family standards. Those who are true to themselves forge the strongest relationships with others, and I must protect them so long as they do no harm and do not infringe on others’ liberty in turn.

Example #2

  • The dead have earned their peace. I shall see them put to rest with respect, and do my utmost to keep their graves and tombs honored and undisturbed.
  • Should some force or custom insist on treating the graves of the passed as anything other than a place of quiet memorial, I shall do all in my power to end this practice.
  • The undead have stepped out of the natural order of life and death, and they threaten the sanctity of the grave. I shall seek to destroy them when possible, and keep them from the resting places of others.
  • Rituals, magic, and tortures that damage the soul undo the work of the Taskmaster. I will destroy those who use these methods, and seek to repair those who have fallen victim to these crimes.
  • Though I shall not do the work for them, I shall aid others in completing tasks that are important to them whenever it is possible and moral, so that they will not go to the grave with unfinished business.

Example #3

  • Both my sword and my swordplay have been entrusted to me by those who have mastered their craft, and both deserve to be wielded by a skilled hand. My training will be consistent, and I will impart my training to others, as others passed my training down to me.
  • I will honor the ancestors who have come before me and provided for my life.
  • Though the bonds of love extend across any distance, I will not stretch them further by separating lovers.
  • The Empress rules all under Heaven. I am a guardian of the land and its health, as well as of civilized empires that live upon it. I will defend nature from the twisted influence of undead and aberrations, and seek mutual peace with creatures that defend nature from humanity.
  • My personal conduct reflects on my family and my god; I will conscientiously maintain my reputation for the sake of theirs, even on the battlefield.
  • The strategy of war involves deception by nature, but the flag of peace is sacrosanct. I accept no negotiations from those who have attacked a foe under the pretense of arbitration or truce for their own gain; they have destroyed the trust that reconciliation requires.

Example #4

  • I am the voice for those who go unheard, be they spirits who cannot speak or those whom society has judged as broken or insane. I shall open the doors for others to listen to the voiceless when I can, and when I cannot, I will speak in the words of the voiceless, not my own.
  • I am the eyes for those who cannot understand the truths of others who are not like them. I shall teach others how to accept, support, and celebrate those who think and speak differently than they do.
  • I am the guide for mortal minds and souls. I shall offer kindness and aid to the lost, the frightened, the confused, and the dead. I shall calm restless spirits, and I shall banish violent ones with what compassion I can provide without endangering others.
  • A different perspective can bring both fulfillment and pain. I do not judge those who wish to remain as they are, no matter what disadvantages it may bring them, nor do I judge those who suffer and wish to be changed.
  • There is no shame in madness, and so I do not make madness shameful by imposing it on my enemies as a punishment. Though darkness and attacks on the mind are tools I may use to vanquish the unjust, my actions will never force lasting insanity upon my foes.

Antipaladin Codes

Example #1

  • The blessing of the storm comes in lightning. I am permitted to offer sincerely altruistic aid, so long as that aid comes in the form of violence visited upon others.
  • The clouds warn of coming rain. My wrath may be sudden, but it is honest. I may trick a foe with boasts or cunning, but I do not pretend to be a friend to those I intend to harm. Such sycophancy is cowardice.
  • The wind cannot be chained. I stay nowhere for long, and I do not abide oaths that try to restrain me for longer than a month. If I make such promises, they have no weight, and those who trust them are fools.
  • My last word is a thunderclap. None shall insult me, or my god, without paying a terrible price. My revenge will be unstoppable and absolute.
Section 15: Copyright Notice

Pathfinder Campaign Setting: Faiths of Golarion © 2018, Paizo Inc.; Authors: Kate Baker, John Compton, Adam Daigle, Crystal Frasier, Ron Lundeen, Liane Merciel, Michael Sayre, and Owen K.C. Stephens.

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