half-fey paladin, need some help

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Alexi's picture
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half-fey paladin, need some help

so i have the following character for an up comming game:

Quote:
Half-Fey Wood Elf
Paladin lv3 ECL:5

Str 16(18) +4
Dex 13(15/17) +3
Con 12(10/8) -1
Int 11(9) -1
Wis 8(10) /
Cha 17(21) +5

Saves bonus total
Fort: 3 -1 +5 7
Ref: 1 +3 +5 9
Will: 1 / +5 6

HP: 25
Ac: 6 (9)

Feats:

Skills: ranks bonus
Sense Motive 2 +5 7
Intimidate 2 +5 7
Spot 2 +2 4
Listen 2 +2 4
Search 0 +2 2

• Immunity to magic sleep effects, and Enchantment spells and effects
• Low-Light Vision: An elf can see twice as far as a human in starlight, moonlight, torchlight, and similar conditions of poor illumination. She retains the ability to distinguish color and detail under these conditions.
• +2 racial bonus on Listen, Search, and Spot checks. An elf who merely passes within 5 feet of a secret or concealed door is entitled to a Search check to notice it as if she were actively looking for it
• Damage Reduction 5 / cold iron
• Butterfly Wings if the base creature did not already have wings. Flying speed is 2x fastest normal movement with Good maneuverability.
• Charm Person at will.

need some help with feats and also for characters morality. what's a good alternate lg morality system that would work well with a fey paladin?

Eldan's picture
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half-fey paladin, need some help

A fey Paladin might be difficult to explain, as fey tend to be strongly chaotic beings. I see two possible ways out:
Either you make this a totally lawful paladin, removed from his feyish parents and totally comitted to the law of whatever order he follows.
Otherwise, he would have a special code, more suited for a feyish paladin.
You have to see that Paladins, as the epitome of goodness and lawfulness, don't follow their own code, but the code of an order. They shouldn't have "alternate morality systems"
Remember this about Paladins:
The Paladin doesn't cheat, lie or betray, not even for the cause of fighting evil. He is a shining example and is there to show that evil can and will be defeated, but not with any means, but with righteousness, courage and honour. It is important that you give your enemies a chance to renounce the ways of evil and turn to good, for it is not your purpose to slay evil, but to defeat it, once and for all and slaying anything even remotely evil will bring only more evil.
This might be extremely difficult for fey, who are normally known as capricious, careless, and often also as tricksters and cheaters, even the good ones.
Perhaps you should tell a little more about your character, where he comes from, what his goals are, why he became a paladin, etc.
As for feats: It depends on the kind of fighting style you want to use. I would always recommend weapon focus for any kind of armed combatant. As soon as you get turn undead (level four, if I remember correctly) I would get Divine might or perhaps divine shield, so you can make use of those turnings.

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half-fey paladin, need some help

For all that reputation as fickle and tricksers - some of the older versions of fey also emphasize an odd sense of honor. The fey are bound by rules and their society - they refuse to make promises, because if they do - they must honor them *regardless* of personal harm - a compulsion almost. For example: "If you guess my name, then I won't take your first born..." Admittedly, this is a trait more often associated with the higher 'forms' of fey. For this sort of thing I would look towards the ideals of a celtic or nordic fey as opposed to the much darker germanic ones.

So if you view it *that* way, you may simply have a good aligned fey, and they follow the code and honor of their house/rank/gods/bloodline.

There's nothing saying a paladin can't crack a smile, or play a *gentle* prank (with a lesson to it too even!).

Alexi's picture
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half-fey paladin, need some help

The way I see it the reqs. or being lawful are a bit mutable, do I have to follow the laws and rules of all kingdoms regions? What if my character (and his sponsoring power) see all other laws as subservient to a grander set of rules? Does the rule of a god or the seele court trump that of mere temporal governments?

Traditionally faeries were governed by very strict rules, they may in fact be capricious in actions but always followed the rules of of gifting, gaming, namining and such.

Eldan's picture
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half-fey paladin, need some help

Right, this is of course a very good argument.
I never thought, and I also hope not said, that you would have to follow every rule and law out there. Just that you have to follow one set of laws and that you will always follow them. I guess most paladins follow one code of honour and the rules of their god. Just remember that this should be at least a restriction sometime. As for the rules of the seelie court: They might be a tad to chaotic, but if you follow them, it could turn out lawful. Also remeber that Paladins are mostly champions of good, not law. They don't necessarily fall when they do an act of chaoticness, so you might have some space there.
As regarding the fey: I have to admit that I don't know much about the celtic or nordic fey, just the germanic ones. They most often seem to have some sort of nobility and an organisation in clans, tribes or small kingdoms. I guess adherence to family, clan and nobility should therefore be a cornerstone of your code. The second one, as stated by you two, could be respecting promises, contracts and the like at all costs. Apart from that: Be good. Do what is normally associated with goodness. Protect the innocent. Give to the poor.
I guess this is helpful for almost any paladin.

Tarion'sCousin's picture
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half-fey paladin, need some help

From Unearthed Arcana and available via the OGL, there's always the Paladin of Freedom.
http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/classes/variantCharacterClasses.htm

Scroll down the page about halfway. It's a Chaotic-Good paladin. No, really. Laughing out loud

Alexi's picture
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random questions

random questionsok scouring my books on mythology and folklore to find some rule for faeries.

while thats going on, do you think it would be overpowering to change the paladins mount to an animal companion?

how about changing the bug wing thing into a shapechnge into a raven?

gonna check with the dm but wondering what you all think.

Jack of tears's picture
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re

Celtic Fae did have courts, with nobles and courtiers, etc. (or seemed to, though that is all interpretation by the humans who encounter them)

As to the issue of having the character act Paladin-esque "protect the innocent, give to the poor", I think it would be more in line with a Fae character to provide the needy with a means to face their plights; thus you arm the innocent, provide the poor with a means to make money ... faeries are big on teaching lessons.

Sakor's picture
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half-fey paladin, need some help

Perhaps he was tricked into acting honorably and being lawful good. The fact that his natural predisposition is bound by an even deeper conviction to hold true to his promises creates an interesting pathos.

Or you could take the CG-paladin class from Unearthed Arcana - Champion of Freedom as I recall.

Alexi's picture
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half-fey paladin, need some help

well I decided to just go ahead and create a new subtype of fey to fit my purpose. What do you all think? I'm going to go on and detail Summers Twilight.

Quote:
Esyllt Medium Fey Hit Dice: Initiative: Speed: 30 ft. (6 squares) Armor Class: Base Attack/Grapple: Attack: Full Attack: Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft. Special Attacks: Special Qualities: Alternate Form, Damage reduction, Fey Type, Immunity to Enchantment, Lowlight Vision, Prestidigitation, True Name, Unearthly grace, Saves: Fort +, Ref +, Will + Abilities: Str/, Dex +2, Con -2, Int/, Wis +2, Cha +4 Skills: Feats: Environment: Demi-plane of Summers Twilight, Any* Organization: Solitary or parliament (10-1,000) Challenge Rating: Treasure: Standard Alignment: Usually lawful good Advancement: By character class Level Adjustment: +2 Esyllt speak Common, Elven, and Sylvan. Alternate Form (SU) The true form of an Esyllt is that of a magpie, they may take on the form of a handsome Human male. Changing to human form is available 1x per-day +1 per ECL. I.E. a character with an ECL of 5 can change form from magpie to human 5 times. Changing back to magpie is always allowed and is a free action. In magic dead zones, and Esyllt will, always revert to bird form.

Damage Reduction (SU)
Damage reduction/5 cold Iron

Fey Type
An Esyllt is vulnerable to spells and effects that work on creatures of the fey type but is immune to effects that target humanoids.

Immunity to Enchantment (SU)
Esyllt like all fey are immune to all Enchantment spells and effects

Lowlight Vision

Prestidigitation (SU)
Esyllt may cast Prestidigitation (as per the spell) at will.
True Name (SU)
If someone speaks the true name of the Esyllt they may force him back into his natural form (magpie). Someone who knows the true name of an Esyllt may give him a gease. After discharging the gease the fey’s true name after that point has no more power over him and he must quest for a new name. the new name must be freely given, and the Esyllt may not ask for it.
Unearthly Grace (SU)
An Esyllt adds his Charisma modifier as a bonus on all his saving throws, and as a deflection bonus to his Armor Class. (The statistics block already reflects these bonuses).

Ecology
Esyllt are a incredibly rare shape shifting fey native to the the Demi-Plane of Summers Twilight, they often however can be found questing on the Prime material. Unlike most fey whose natural form is that of a demihuman, an Esyllts natural form is that resembling a magpie. Esyllt are exclusively male, and may mate with any humanoid. The Esyllt’s offspring will always manifest as Esyllt, looking like normal humans till they reach maturity when they will gain their full power.

On their home plane Esyllt gather in what they refer to as The Parliament, a semi rigid social structure of three houses. Though The Parliament has minor governing duties its main function is as a gathering place to feast, swap tales of adventure, riddles and engage in tournaments. The highest house is the House of Lords, filled by the governing elders. The other two houses are on equal grounds, the House of Knights, and the house of Rhymers. The House of Knights is made up of the warriors (primarily Paladins and Rangers) and the House of Rhymers (Primarily Bards and Sorcerers) is made up of magic users and Bards. All Esyllt take of the House of Knights take last name Esyllt, and those of the House of Rhymers take the Title the Rhymer. Aka Cadobran Esyllt or Tomos The Rhymer. Esyllt have very little to do with the Seelie/Un-Seelie court if the can help it. Though due to circumstances known to only a few every seven years the Parliament must send seven young fey to serve at the Seelie court for seven years, this is not considered an honour but a duty. Esyllt also have an obligation of etiquette to all other Fey. The Parliament welcomes visitors of mortal races as long as they have a good story, new riddle or are willing to engage in the lists.

The Esyllt have a very ordered world view full of laws and rules for interaction between themselves and other beings. These rules always supplant the local laws, even for Paladin Esyllt. Rules include:
• All games are sacred, and cheaters may loose their freedom for up to seven years. If an Esyllt is caught cheating it is the equivalent of knowing their name.
• Gifting/Favours. Gifting is a sacred practice, unless it is expressly stated all gifts place the receiver in debt to the gifter until a gift of equal worth or a favour is discarged.
• Questions. If an Esyllt asks a question and receives an answer the answerer may ask a question of equal value back and the fey must answer.
• Names. If someone speaks the true name of the Esyllt they may force him back into his natural form. Someone who knows the true name of an Esyllt may give him a gease (this ignores the immunity to Enchantment) . After discharging the gease the fey’s true name after that point has no more power over him and he must quest for a new name. The new name must be freely given, and the Esyllt may not ask for it.
• Manners. Etiquette is very important between Esyllt and other fey. Perceived impoliteness can find a Esyllt “gifted” with an asses ears or stutter or other such minor curse for seven days.

Besides the following of rule of manners Esyllt generally have a disregard for the callous nature of other fey and will come to the aid of mortals being mistreated by fey. They maintain the appreciation for practical jokes and riddles of other fey, though much more less malice. If a mortal acts kindly to an Esyllt after a joke or riddle they will often be granted a boon, or friendship. Even Esyllt paladins are known to have a light heart and sense of freindly humour.

Many Esyllt take to the planes as knights errant, seeing life outside of Twilight Summer as a chance to gather stories, riddles and friends. Knights errant will always bear the sign of the parliament (three interlocked gold rings on a green field) on a pennant, surcoat or shield. Due to the very rare nature of the Esyllt they often will pass as human. The name Esyllt may ring bells to those versed in Faerie lore but only those deeply knowledgeable in the history of the fey will know anything about the Esyllt.

Knowledge Faerie
DC 25 recognize the name Esyllt
DC 30 know that Esyllt is a Fey
DC 35 Know Specific details about the Esyllt/The Parliament

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