Paladin: Knight of the Chalice (Preview)

[Eladrin]

Due to everyone's amazing decoding abilities, you get another preview this week.

The Knight of the Chalice knows what it likes, and more to the point, knows what it doesn't like. Evil outsiders (especially demons and other chaotic evil outsiders). They get into everything. Worse than roaches if you ask me.

The Knight is light on activated abilities, focusing instead on a strong set of passive bonuses when fighting their chosen foe.

Paladin Knight of the Chalice I
Cost: 4 Action Points
Prereqs: Paladin Level 6, Paladin Courage of Good I, Paladin Energy of the Templar I, Paladin Extra Smite Evil II, and any one of: Paladin Divine Sacrifice I, Paladin Divine Might I, or Paladin Exalted Smite I.
Benefit: You are devoted to fighting demons and other evil outsiders, driving them from Eberron forever. Your maximum number of Smites is increased by one, your anti-fear aura is improved, and you have +1 to attack Evil Outsiders and deal 1d6 additional damage with melee and unarmed attacks against them. You resist evil influences particularly well, gaining a +2 bonus to saves against spells and effects produced by Evil Outsiders.

Despite their anti-demon focus, the Knights of the Chalice aren't that picky when it comes to killing Evil Outsiders...

Paladin Knight of the Chalice II
Cost: 2 Action Points
Prereqs: Paladin Level 12, Paladin Knight of the Chalice I, Paladin Courage of Good II, Paladin Energy of the Templar II
Benefit: You are devoted to fighting demons and other evil outsiders, driving them from Eberron forever. Your maximum number of Smites is increased by one, your anti-fear aura is improved, and you now have +2 to attack Evil Outsiders and deal 2d6 additional damage with melee and unarmed attacks against them, replacing your earlier bonuses. You resist evil influences particularly well, gaining a +3 bonus to saves against spells and effects produced by Evil Outsiders. You also gain the ability to Censure Demons.

Knight of the Chalice II: Censure Demons
Benefit: You may expend a turn undead attempt to stun a targeted demon or other Chaotic Evil outsider. A successful Will save DC: 10 + Paladin Level + Charisma Modifier negates this effect. The target gains repeated saves to break free of this effect. Non-Chaotic Evil outsiders are unaffected by this ability.

...but they are better trained at taking out demons.

Paladin Knight of the Chalice III
Cost: 2 Action Points
Prereqs: Paladin Level 18, Paladin Knight of the Chalice II, any Paladin Faith II enhancement
Benefit: You are devoted to fighting demons and other evil outsiders, driving them from Eberron forever. Your maximum number of Smites is increased by one, your anti-fear aura is improved, and you now have +4 to attack Evil Outsiders and deal 4d6 additional damage with melee and unarmed attacks against them, replacing your earlier bonuses. You resist evil influences particularly well, gaining a +4 bonus to saves against spells and effects produced by Evil Outsiders.

Who wants a free Greater Evil Outsider Bane added to all of their weapons? What if I told you that it stacks with an actual Greater Evil Outsider Bane enchantment?

[Tolero]

*steps on some infernal roaches* They're everywhere I tell ya!

[DaveyCrockett]

This one's a bit odd. It's like giving Paladins a FE on steroids, but only one.
Meanwhile other PrE's work across the board, and aren't so situational.

I do think this will make me cringe less when a Paladin joins the Shroud.

[Hobgoblin]

nice!! i might actually roll a pally now!!

[EKKM]

Interesting PrE follows the PnP theme fairly closely as I recall. Given that a lot of end game mobs are evil outsiders this PrE will see some use there, just not sure initially about levels 6-12 due to liomited "favoured opponents".

Bonuses don't seem as good as frenzied beserker or kensai, but the entrance requirements are not as steep either.

First impression - looks good.

[Jeffywan]

I am rolling up a Palidan . I can't wait for Mod 9. Thanks for all the hard work, it keeps the game entertaining and makes me want to explore some new classes. Please give us more to decode so we can get more sneak peaks

[Leyoni]

Seems vary narrow in focus whereas fighter, ranger and barbarian PrEs are much broader in scope. Because paladins are widely perceived as lacking damage output for general combat this essentially means carrying them until they get to L18 so that they can become evil outsider killing machines.

Not sure that this is entirely helpful.

If the L6 and L12 enhancements could be made broader it would be more beneficial and also more appropriate given current game content. A general boost vs evil at L6 maybe expanding to chaotic evil at L12 and culminating in evil outsider at L18 might be more beneficial and make paladins more on par with the DPS (and thus in-game value) of other melee oriented characters.

[hu-flung-pu]

Does seek eternal rest boost Censure Demons?

Edit: Frothing at the mouth with some gurgling noises.

[vtecfiend99]

Seems vary narrow in focus whereas fighter, ranger and barbarian PrEs are much broader in scope. Because paladins are widely perceived as lacking damage output for general combat this essentially means carrying them until they get to L18 so that they can become evil outsider killing machines.

Not sure that this is entirely helpful.

If the L6 and L12 enhancements could be made broader it would be more beneficial and also more appropriate given current game content. A general boost vs evil at L6 maybe expanding to chaotic evil at L12 and culminating in evil outsider at L18 might be more beneficial and make paladins more on par with the DPS (and thus in-game value) of other melee oriented characters.

eh, but it follows the flavor of the PnP class very well so...

maybe we were all hoping they would roid out pallys too much? I think it's kinda nice. not amazing but nice. and flavorful and there's not enough of that around here.

[Dungnmaster001]

I'm just glad there's not an overabundance of clickies in this one. I like passive bonuses.

[EKKM]

I have a concern that if another pally PrE is broader in scope that it may relegate this one to the same fate as the deepwood sniper.

That said three extra smites and impoved aura for 8 AP is pretty good.

[Gratch]

I guess giving a bonus to crit range or mult vs. a single enemy type at the top tier would have been overbalancing or tough to code. Looks pretty good and should be useful against the Mod 9 mobs I'd guess.

So Mod 9 has specialty enhancements for Fighter/Barb/Ranger/Paly/Rogue from 6-18. Caster/Clerics/Bards and Monks will get theirs at a later Mod? Or are the monk way-of's considered to be their specialty?

[hu-flung-pu]

I have a concern that if another pally PrE is broader in scope that it may relegate this one to the same fate as the deepwood sniper.

That said three extra smites and impoved aura for 8 AP is pretty good.

When they've come out and basically flat out told us, that Mod 9 will be focusing entirely on evil outsiders, I can live with the fact that I'll be a mod 9 specialist.

[Gum]

Due to everyone's amazing decoding abilities, you get another preview this week.

The Knight of the Chalice knows what it likes, and more to the point, knows what it doesn't like. Evil outsiders (especially demons and other chaotic evil outsiders). They get into everything. Worse than roaches if you ask me.

The Knight is light on activated abilities, focusing instead on a strong set of passive bonuses when fighting their chosen foe.

Paladin Knight of the Chalice I
Cost: 4 Action Points
Prereqs: Paladin Level 6, Paladin Courage of Good I, Paladin Energy of the Templar I, Paladin Extra Smite Evil II, and any one of: Paladin Divine Sacrifice I, Paladin Divine Might I, or Paladin Exalted Smite I.
Benefit: You are devoted to fighting demons and other evil outsiders, driving them from Eberron forever. Your maximum number of Smites is increased by one, your anti-fear aura is improved, and you have +1 to attack Evil Outsiders and deal 1d6 additional damage with melee and unarmed attacks against them. You resist evil influences particularly well, gaining a +2 bonus to saves against spells and effects produced by Evil Outsiders.

Despite their anti-demon focus, the Knights of the Chalice aren't that picky when it comes to killing Evil Outsiders...

Paladin Knight of the Chalice II
Cost: 2 Action Points
Prereqs: Paladin Level 12, Paladin Knight of the Chalice I, Paladin Courage of Good II, Paladin Energy of the Templar II
Benefit: You are devoted to fighting demons and other evil outsiders, driving them from Eberron forever. Your maximum number of Smites is increased by one, your anti-fear aura is improved, and you now have +2 to attack Evil Outsiders and deal 2d6 additional damage with melee and unarmed attacks against them, replacing your earlier bonuses. You resist evil influences particularly well, gaining a +3 bonus to saves against spells and effects produced by Evil Outsiders. You also gain the ability to Censure Demons.

Knight of the Chalice II: Censure Demons
Benefit: You may expend a turn undead attempt to stun a targeted demon or other Chaotic Evil outsider. A successful Will save DC: 10 + Paladin Level + Charisma Modifier negates this effect. The target gains repeated saves to break free of this effect. Non-Chaotic Evil outsiders are unaffected by this ability.

...but they are better trained at taking out demons.

Paladin Knight of the Chalice III
Cost: 2 Action Points
Prereqs: Paladin Level 18, Paladin Knight of the Chalice II, any Paladin Faith II enhancement
Benefit: You are devoted to fighting demons and other evil outsiders, driving them from Eberron forever. Your maximum number of Smites is increased by one, your anti-fear aura is improved, and you now have +4 to attack Evil Outsiders and deal 4d6 additional damage with melee and unarmed attacks against them, replacing your earlier bonuses. You resist evil influences particularly well, gaining a +4 bonus to saves against spells and effects produced by Evil Outsiders.

Who wants a free Greater Evil Outsider Bane added to all of their weapons? What if I told you that it stacks with an actual Greater Evil Outsider Bane enchantment?

You my friend just made Mr. Gumlaw a very, very happy Warforged! ( o )( o ) Hjite!

[Aeneas]

I think it's a neat PrE. My only suggestion would be perhaps to extend it to neutral outsiders (if you're not gonna choose a side then you're not on mine and therefore on the wrong one) so that lower level outsiders like mephits could be included.

[Aelian]

Two thumbs up on this one.

[EKKM]

When they've come out and basically flat out told us, that Mod 9 will be focusing entirely on evil outsiders, I can live with the fact that I'll be a mod 9 specialist.

I understand that. I guess the fact that all the requirements are enhancment driven, this PrE could be taken as you approach the later levels simply by respecing your enhancments. I'm not sure I agree with that, ewile it does allow for greater flexibility, alot of the other PrEs have feats for requirements which wither preclude, or makes more difficult, this type of PrE swapping.

[Demoyn]

Hmm... I have a level 11 drow paladin sitting around collecting dust. I may actually brush him off farther down the road for this.

I agree that it would be better if it had some general bonuses instead of a full focus on outsiders, but at least they'll be able to get into high level raids more now!

[Ilundel]

I agree - Paladin's PrE's seem way too specific to types of monsters while everyone elses are more broad. This is some nice Flavor, but why not make these PrE's based on enhancing CURRENT abilities - IE - one that boosts your aura's, one that boosts your smiting ability and one that boosts.. well something else that I can't think of right now

BTW, Eladrin and developpers, I love the work you are doing and all the Pally love you have given us so far... Just wondering why you are specifically narrowing the effect of the Paladin PrE's to specific type of mobs

[maddmatt70]

I can't wait for the all paladin groups taking on the next raid boss. Perhaps we will let an arcane or cleric into our party, but everybody else would bring down our dps so no thanks.