Eternal Champion Paladin, aka My Houserules to Make Paladins Not Annoying as Fuck

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 I've been studying AD&D and toying around with the extra classes with the goal of incorporating them into my OD&D/Holmes games. For some of the extra classes, it's taken a little bit of tweaking - Rangers are any Neutral alignment instead of any Good alignment, for instance. Paladin got a bit more complicated, because at first glance, Paladin doesn't have a place at all in the sort of morally ambiguous, cutthroat-style games I run. I mean, they're required to be fucking Lawful Good, for fuck's sake!

So I made my own modified paladin that's geared towards Moorcockian alignment and the Law-vs-Chaos struggle I'm much more interested in than. 

Eternal Champion Paladin 

Level Titles

1: Blade

2: Lamenter

3: Mourner

4: Hawk

5: Fate-Tinged

6: Threshold Guardian

7: Soldier of Balance

8: Interstice Warden

9: Eternal Champion


The basic restriction of the Paladin are modified slightly for an Eternal Champion Paladin. 

  • The restrictions on magic items are retained. 
  • Instead of tithing to Lawful Good causes, an Eternal Champion Paladin must devote at least 1/10th of their wealth to causes related directly to the Eternal Struggle - obtaining information pertinent to the war between Law and Chaos, arming soldiers, funding travel to outre locations where they are needed, etc. Any remaining funds after paying their normal costs must also be put towards this purpose. 
  • The restrictions on alignment of companions is completely removed for Eternal Champion Paladins. After all, Elric didn't give a rat's ass what alignment Moonglum and Zarozinia were.

As a Blade, an Eternal Champion Paladin can be of any alignment. In fact, it's suggested that they start with a strong stance on Law or Chaos, a la Elric. Becoming the Eternal Champion will by its nature fuck up your life. 

Before a Mourner (level 3) can become a Hawk (level 4), they must divest from their original alignment, devoting themself to wholly Neutrality in a lengthy ritual. After this point, they must remain Neutral forever or lose their Paladin abilities, becoming a Fighter. There's no Turning Back.

Before a Fate-Tinged (level 5) can become a Threshold Guardian (level 6), they must leave their past life behind. Family, lovers, bonds of friendship - they are nothing compared to the Eternal Struggle.

The Paladin's abilities 'Detect Evil' and 'Protection from Evil' instead become 'Detect Law & Chaos' and 'Protection from Law & Chaos', respectively. 

The Paladin's 'Turn Undead' ability allows the Eternal Champion Paladin to either Turn or Control Undead, as the Eternal Champion chooses. This is a choice they make each time they use the ability, not when the ability is received. 

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