Paladin of Freedom

Through a select, worthy few shines the power of the divine. Called paladins, these noble souls dedicate their swords and lives to the battle against evil. Fewer still are those paladins who place themselves forcefully before those who would oppress or dominate others. These are the paladins of freedom, holy liberators of those who need them the most.

Role: Paladins of freedom serve as beacons for their allies within the chaos of battle. While deadly opponents of evil, they can also empower goodly souls to aid in their crusades. Their magic and martial skills also make them well suited to defending others and blessing the fallen with the strength to continue fighting.

Alignment: Chaotic good.

Hit Die: d10.

Starting Wealth: 5d6 × 10 gp (average 175 gp.) In addition, each character begins play with an outfit worth 10 gp or less.

Class Skills

The paladin of freedom’s class skills are Bluff (Cha), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Handle Animal (Cha), Heal (Wis), Knowledge (nobility) (Int), Knowledge (religion) (Int), Profession (Wis), Ride (Dex), Sense Motive (Wis), and Spellcraft (Int).

Skill Ranks per Level: 2 + Int modifier.

Class Features

All of the following are class features of the paladin of freedom.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency

Paladins of freedom are proficient with all simple and martial weapons, with all types of armor (heavy, medium, and light), and with shields (except tower shields).

Detect Charm (Sp)

At will, a paladin of freedom can use detect charm, as the spell.

Smite (Su)

Once per day, a paladin of freedom can, as a swift action, choose one target within sight. If this target is evil or lawful, the paladin of freedom adds her Cha bonus (if any) to her attack rolls and her paladin of freedom level to all damage rolls made against the target. If the target is an outsider with the evil subtype, an evil-aligned dragon, or an evil-aligned undead creature, the bonus to damage increases to 2 points of damage per level the paladin possesses. Regardless of the target, smite automatically bypasses any DR the target might possess.

In addition, while smite is in effect, the paladin of freedom gains a deflection bonus equal to her Charisma modifier (if any) to her AC against attacks made by the target of the smite. If the paladin of freedom targets a creature that is not evil or lawful, the smite is wasted with no effect.

The smite effect remains until the target of the smite is dead or the next time the paladin of freedom rests and regains her uses of this ability. At 4th level, and at every three levels thereafter, the paladin of freedom may smite one additional time per day, as indicated on Table: Paladin of Freedom, to a maximum of seven times per day at 19th level.

Divine Grace (Su)

At 2nd level, a paladin of freedom gains a bonus equal to her Charisma bonus (if any) on all saving throws.

Lay On Hands (Su)

At 2nd level, a paladin of freedom can alternately heal wounds (her own or those of others) or help others cast off their bonds with a touch. Each day she can use this ability a number of times equal to 1/2 her paladin of freedom level plus her Charisma modifier.

With one use of this ability, a paladin of freedom (or the creature touched) heals 1d6 hit points of damage for every two paladin of freedom levels she possesses.

With one use of this ability, a paladin of freedom (or the creature touched) immediately may roll a new saving throw against a spell or spell-like ability of the enchantment (charm) or enchantment (compulsion) subschools that it previously failed a saving throw vs. and which it is still under the effects of. In addition, targets receive a +2 sacred bonus on such saving throws and a +2 sacred bonus on CMB checks to escape a grapple. These bonuses last for a number of rounds equal to 1/2 her paladin of freedom level (minimum 1), although the saving throw reroll only applies when the creature is touched.

Using either of the above abilities is a standard action, unless the paladin of freedom targets herself, in which case it is a swift action. Despite the name of this ability, a paladin of freedom only needs one free hand to use this ability.

Alternatively, a paladin of freedom can use her healing power to deal damage to undead creatures, dealing 1d6 points of damage for every two levels the paladin of freedom possesses. Using lay on hands in this way requires a successful melee touch attack and doesn’t provoke an attack of opportunity. Undead do not receive a saving throw against this damage.

Channel Energy (Su)

When a paladin of freedom reaches 4th level, she gains the supernatural ability to channel energy like a cleric except she uses the freedom variant channeling described below. Using this ability consumes two uses of her lay on hands ability. A paladin of freedom uses her level as her effective cleric level when channeling energy. This is a Charisma-based ability.

Variant channeling has the same area of effect, save DCs, uses per day, and other rules relating to channeling energy. Feats and abilities that modify or present alternative uses for channeled energy (such as Command Undead and Turn Undead) work normally with these variant channeling abilities.

When the paladin of freedom uses this ability to heal, affected creatures gain only half the normal amount of healing but also gain a sacred bonus on Escape Artist checks, CMB checks made to escape a grapple, and saving throws to resist the entangled, paralyzed, or slowed conditions.

When the paladin of freedom uses this ability to harm, affected creatures take only half the normal damage but are slowed (as slow) until the end of her next turn; a successful saving throw negates the slow effect but does not reduce the damage. Creatures immune to slow effects are not affected by this effect either.

Spell Casting

Beginning at 4th level, a paladin of freedom gains the ability to cast a small number of divine spells which are drawn from the paladin spell list (see below). A paladin of freedom must choose and prepare her spells in advance.

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

Like other spellcasters, a paladin of freedom can cast only a certain number of spells of each spell level per day. Her base daily spell allotment is given on Table: Paladin of Freedom. In addition, she receives bonus spells per day if she has a high Charisma score (see Table: Ability Modifiers and Bonus Spells). When Table: Paladin of Freedom indicates that the paladin of freedom gets 0 spells per day of a given spell level, she gains only the bonus spells she would be entitled to based on her Charisma score for that spell level.

A paladin of freedom must spend 1 hour each day in quiet prayer and meditation to regain her daily allotment of spells. A paladin of freedom may prepare and cast any spell on the paladin spell list (see changed spell list below), provided that she can cast spells of that level, but she must choose which spells to prepare during her daily meditation.

Through 3rd level, a paladin of freedom has no caster level. At 4th level and higher, her caster level is equal to her paladin of freedom level – 3.

Remove the following spells from the standard paladin’s spell list:

• death ward, discern lies, dispel chaos, magic circle against chaos, protection from chaos

Add the following spells to the form the paladin of freedom’s spell list:

• 1st—protection from law
• 3rd—magic circle against law
• 4th—dispel law, freedom of movement

Divine Bond (Sp)

Upon reaching 5th level, a paladin of freedom forms a divine bond with her god. This bond can take one of two forms. Once the form is chosen, it cannot be changed.

Freedom of Movement (Sp)

At 6th level, a paladin of freedom gains the ability to cast freedom of movement as a spell-like ability. Every three levels thereafter she can cast it one additional time per day.

Aura of Resolve (Su)

At 8th level, a paladin of freedom is immune to charm spells and spell-like abilities. Each ally within 10 feet of her gains a +4 morale bonus on saving throws against charm effects. This ability functions only while the paladin of freedom is conscious, not if she is unconscious or dead.

Aura of Freedom (Su)

At 11th level, a paladin of freedom can expend two uses of her smite ability to target herself and all of her allies within 10 feet of her when she uses her freedom of movement class feature. Allies only enjoy the benefit of this ability while they remain within 10 feet of the paladin of freedom, but the effect is mobile, centered on the paladin. Activating this ability is a free action. Lawful and evil creatures gain no benefit from this ability.

Aura of Faith (Su)

At 14th level, a paladin of freedom’s weapons are treated as chaotic-aligned for the purposes of overcoming DR. Any attack made against an enemy within 10 feet of her is treated as chaotic-aligned for the purposes of overcoming DR. This ability functions only while the paladin of freedom is conscious, not if she is unconscious or dead.

Aura of Righteousness (Su)

At 17th level, a paladin of freedom gains DR 5/law and immunity to compulsion spells and spell-like abilities. Each ally within 10 feet of her gains a +4 morale bonus on saving throws against compulsion effects. This ability functions only while the paladin of freedom is conscious, not if she is unconscious or dead.

Champion of Freedom (Su)

At 20th level, a paladin of freedom becomes a true force for liberation. She is permanently under the effects of the freedom spell.

Whenever she successfully smites a creature which is the source of a compulsion effect affecting another creature, that creature is also subject to a geas spell permanently barring them from casting or using any spells or effects of the enchantment school or which have the (compulsion) descriptor, using her paladin of freedom level as the caster level. In addition, whenever she channels positive energy or uses lay on hands to heal a creature, all creatures healed when she channels positive energy or uses lay on hands are also targeted by freedom (as the spell).

Code of Conduct

Paladins of freedom do not follow a strict code, other than to say that they always seek to uphold the tenets of liberty and goodness wherever they travel. They resist tyranny and oppression, lead others in fighting unjust rulership, and ignore laws which limit the free and fair choices of intelligent beings. A paladin of freedom adheres to the philosophy of “That which is knowingly consented to by all involved, is just.” Most leaders, good or otherwise, consider paladins of freedom anarchists to be sought out and either kept away from others by way of imprisonment, or in more evil societies, simply destroyed as soon as they are discovered. In most organized societies paladins of freedom must operate quietly as to not arouse the attention of the most powerful around them.

A paladin of freedom who fails to uphold these tenets, or who causes, by actions or inaction, sentient creatures to lose their liberty or freedom, or who willfully commits evil acts, loses access to all supernatural and spell-like class features, as well as the spell casting ability. Further, she may not gain further levels as a paladin (of freedom, or otherwise). She regains her abilities and advancement potential if she properly atones for her violations as determined by the GM.