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Do you think playing a Paladin is interesting?

ConanClausConanClaus Member Posts: 6
edited August 2013 in New Players (NO SPOILERS!)
Hello everyone. I started playing BGEE around two weeks ago, and I'm not so happy of the choice I've made. I playing a pure paladin. I was planning to choose bastard or large sword as favorite weapon but reading the magical swords list I've seen that the few magic of both king are not so cool (I was just hoping for a Carsomyr, eheh).
And I was asking myself if there's some interesting quest or path which can be played only by paladins. Dunno, just like becoming the champion of a particular divinity. Maybe in BG (I mean the city) there's a quest for some church...? Because playing a paladin whitout follow any special path it is like to play a simple classic warrior.
Many thanks!

Btw, I apologize for my so "macaronic" english. I just hope to be understandable :)
Post edited by ConanClaus on
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  • EntropyXIIEntropyXII Member Posts: 656
    edited August 2013
    I haven't found a Paladin interesting since the very first time I played vanilla Baldur's Gate. The character is too one dimensional, and would never be how I personally would make decisions in real life. There are also no special quests for classes in BG1/BG:EE. If you really want to continue with the Paladin path then, two-hander or bastard Sword is the way to go (BG2 weapons). In BG1 you can find +3 two-hander 'Worlds Edge' and the nifty new B.sword which I love (....but cannot remember the name of.)

    I am not the godly sort either and would rather face down the wall of the faithless than take orders off Torm/Tyr/Lathander/Ilmater (standard paladin gods).




    Muahahahaha!
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    edited August 2013
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  • EntropyXIIEntropyXII Member Posts: 656
    @Shandyr - Heheh, how did you guess?

    It's not that I think Lawful Good is Lawful Stupid, but I do tend to believe that Paladin's are in general: Lawful Stupid - especially when they follow Torm/Tyr. The problem with these gods are that their doctrines kind of insist that you play Lawful Stupid - if you stray slightly from their own Lawful Stupidness, then you've fallen from grace. Justice, honour, righteousness and holy light shining out of their arses.

    If I play a Paladin I would tend to go with Kelemvor or Lathander. Both have doctrines which can stray away from Lawful Stupid and be a little more balanced in my opinion.

    ....and nobody likes undead of course... apart from those sneaky necromancers!

    Always in the crypts.... raising the dead....
  • CaptRoryCaptRory Member Posts: 1,660
    I like paladins. If you play them well, there's a lot of good drama there regarding their duty and their alignment and how the world actually works. Roleplaying in Baldur's Gate is a bit flat since its a computer game and not a tabletop game, so a lot of it is lost.
  • ZanathKariashiZanathKariashi Member Posts: 2,869
    edited August 2013
    Actually Stupid good is literally a 2nd edition Paladin class feature. 3rd edition opened it up a bit more by allowing forgiveness, where as a 2nd edition paladin, with only a tiny handful of specific exceptions, immediately and permanently falls if they do ANYTHING counter to the most strict (Vhailor-level fanaticism) interpretation of Lawful Good. And even with the exceptions you lose all your abilities until you go and repent, and have to do so immediately the moment you're physically able or it becomes permanent.

    And you don't even have to DO the action, just considering it seriously as a possible alternative is enough.

    And no..they're not interesting in the slightest. The game doesn't enforce any of it. You can be the most evil mother$%#^er alive, with a whole party of evil npcs (or all the available evil npcs in BG2) and as long as you keep donating to the church to keep you above 8 rep, it's no big deal, no penalty at all.

    Paladin's cannot under any circumstance knowingly work with evil characters...EVER (except for 1 specific circumstance and have to leave immeidately after that situation has played out...and they fall immediately anyway...it's just temporary in that one case). And they can detect evil at will and are required to do so to everyone they meet or they fall due to negligence of duty.


    Paladin get A LOT of nice benefits, but are supposed to be paying a hefty price for them...but currently don't. And actually get way more benefits then they should.
  • atcDaveatcDave Member Posts: 2,387
    I love playing Paladins, easily my favorite class. Although admittedly that has a lot to do with PnP gaming. My two best characters I ever played were paladins, so there's a lot of sentimental attachment for me.

    But it largely comes down to the knight in shining armor thing. That is THE imagery that first drew me into D&D. I love trying to make the world a better place, I love trying to help out people in need, and I even enjoy a lot of the moral dilemmas of what is the most good thing to do in a variety of difficult situations. Even my non-paladins all tend to be lawful or neutral good.
  • kamuizinkamuizin Member Posts: 3,704
    I'm more tended to play evil aligned characters, but a well played paladin make an awesome game.
  • sarevok57sarevok57 Member Posts: 6,002
    if you get a chance to import your paladin to bg2 then you will get more fullfillment out of your paladin ( plus bg2 is where carsomyr is (: )
  • blackchimesblackchimes Member Posts: 323
    As long as you don't roleplay them, they're great.
  • CantabCantab Member Posts: 56
    Yeah I'm a big fan, they are better in IWD series though, as there is more role playing options associated with them EG they pick up that ppl are evil straight off the bat, plus there 'lay on hands' is great.

    There biggest downfall IMO is spending points on CHA When you really need them to have high STR, DEX and CON.

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  • kamuizinkamuizin Member Posts: 3,704
    Shandyr said:

    Yeah in IWD2 I played a paladin too. The game seems to have more class-related (and even race-related) interactions than BG(2).

    Something fixable in the EE versions, IF the devs want it.
  • ConanClausConanClaus Member Posts: 6
    Eheh! Well first of all, thank you all for the replies, I dind't think to start such long topic.

    I think I got the point. So I'm gonna to choose another character, which would probably be a barbarian or a specific fighter (like a kensai). The thing is that I don't like most of the NPCs that the game offers. Many of them has low abilities (I want to specify that I play 3.5ed and looking the whole game by this point of view is conditioning me) and I personally don't like characters with big lacks. For example Quayle who has 6 of CHR, which means that when he smiles to the people they just run away for aversion xD
    I want to play a classic group of four characters; fighter, priest, mage and thief. The only one who satisfied me till now is Branwen. So disappointed of Imoen, she sucks as thief. I have problems with hiding and open locks almost everytime... Jan Jansen who was a biclass thief-illusionist was absolutely better than her. Don't wanna talk about Neera; I'm just regretful to accepted her in the group, and more regretful to thought that could be nice to play the love story with her. But I'm going OT now :P

    About the paladin, well honestly in D&D is maybe the character which suits me better. I understand that many of you consider that kind of character a "lawful stupid" one, but I disagree whit this, at least for what concern me and my char. I mean even if I'm interpreting a spefic role and following a specific doctrine this doesn't mean that I don't have a brain to weigh my choices. I think that most of who says that paldin are "lawful stupid" just doesn't understand the meaning of bother about a doctrine. For example in my group (in D&D I mean) there's a chaotic good sorcerer gnome and everytime the master put us in front of a storyline choice, she always make the choice following the feeling of the moment. I'm not disapproving this behavior, but I have to say that is much easier playing such this way. In fact we always have very very long discussions about what to do as group. And several times even if I disagree with the choices I follow them because I don't want to compromise the quest or whatever. It is like being religious in a dumb way or being religious with an open mind. The two features aren't necessary bind :) But this is just my opinion.
  • CorvinoCorvino Member Posts: 2,269
    If you are more used to 3.5 and later editions then maybe a character with more active and involved playstyle would agree with you. Paladins and most Fighter and Ranger classes/kits are useful and necessary, but you don't need to do much beyond point them at the enemy. I'm simplifying, but apart from specific abilities it can feel like you're not really doing much.

    A character like a fighter/mage, fighter/cleric or blade has a lot more spells and abilities at their disposal, and you need to take a more active hand in playing to succeed. You need to micromanage them a lot more, but you can get a real sense of achievement when things go right.

    As @Shandyr says, BG2 has more class-related quests and unique strongholds for each class. This might well be more up your street.
  • PugPugPugPug Member Posts: 560
    Something that 4th edition really has going for it is that every class has multiple abilities to use at any time. And they're not useless abilities either, like using Turn Undead at half your level.

    To my knowledge, there is unfortunately no game that uses 4E faithfully, and I'm not forgetting the Neverwinter MMO.

    As far as class-specific quests, the strongholds in BG2 are there and they are fun, but they are a very small part of the game, in proportion to the rest of it. And they are not created equal. The paladin one is pretty uninvolved. There's also an unamusing bug in which using Detect Evil to determine whether I should trust someone gave me the wrong information.
  • SharGuidesMyHandSharGuidesMyHand Member Posts: 2,582
    I think some people misinterpret what is justifiable or expected of a paladin's alignment. For example, during the confrontation between Viconia and the Flaming Fist guard, a lot of people think you are required to go along with whatever the guard says, because he supposedly represents "the law." However, it is still in keeping with your alignment if you act on Viconia's behalf in order to guarantee her lawful right to a fair trial (which the guard was trying to deny her).
  • atcDaveatcDave Member Posts: 2,387
    SharGuidesMyHand said:

    I think some people misinterpret what is justifiable or expected of a paladin's alignment. For example, during the confrontation between Viconia and the Flaming Fist guard, a lot of people think you are required to go along with whatever the guard says, because he supposedly represents "the law." However, it is still in keeping with your alignment if you act on Viconia's behalf in order to guarantee her lawful right to a fair trial (which the guard was trying to deny her).

    I think this is very important. A Lawful-Good Paladin of a just God should be more concerned with right and wrong, according to their God than the laws of man. Especially when said laws may be evil or unjust.

    If somehow "the state" is granting divine abilities to paladins the situation might be different. But I know when I'm playing a paladin I expect the standards of the power giving me divine abilities matters far more than the state.
  • kamuizinkamuizin Member Posts: 3,704
    If you want a powerhouse and a paladin in the same package @ConanClaus, go for a inquisitor, it's even best than blackguard in my view.
  • CaptRoryCaptRory Member Posts: 1,660
    A friend once played a passive aggressive paladin.
  • kamuizinkamuizin Member Posts: 3,704
    @OneAngryMushroom nice story!
  • SCARY_WIZARDSCARY_WIZARD Member Posts: 1,438
    OneAngryMushroom said:

    A paladin is only as interesting as you make them. You can play a lawful stupid, a stupid good or you can play smart like this. http://1d4chan.org/wiki/Powder_Keg_of_Justice. It's more relevant in Pen and paper but it still applies to BG. The best characters I've played have been paladins and so have the worst.

    Aw, I love the HELL out of that story!
  • CaptRoryCaptRory Member Posts: 1,660
    Me too! Here's another great pally one: http://1d4chan.org/wiki/Sameo
  • BattlehamsterBattlehamster Member Posts: 298
    CaptRory said:

    Me too! Here's another great pally one: http://1d4chan.org/wiki/Sameo

    Most...epic...fail/win ever.
    OneAngryMushroom said:

    A paladin is only as interesting as you make them. You can play a lawful stupid, a stupid good or you can play smart like this. http://1d4chan.org/wiki/Powder_Keg_of_Justice. It's more relevant in Pen and paper but it still applies to BG. The best characters I've played have been paladins and so have the worst.

    No good DM should even bother to roll for that, that is truly epic and worthy of succeeding on the basis of RP ability alone.
  • LateralusLateralus Member Posts: 903
    I can make any character interesting, including the paladin. In fact, the pally is a palette cleanser of sorts. My usual characters are greedy and sniffing around for every gold piece they can scrounge. My paladins NEVER break into houses, loot barrels and crates, or do anything inappropriate. That in itself, is an interesting challenge.
  • OurQuestIsVainOurQuestIsVain Member Posts: 201
    Lateralus said:

    I can make any character interesting, including the paladin. In fact, the pally is a palette cleanser of sorts. My usual characters are greedy and sniffing around for every gold piece they can scrounge. My paladins NEVER break into houses, loot barrels and crates, or do anything inappropriate. That in itself, is an interesting challenge.

    I play the exact same when I'm doing a paladin. It is a nice change from combing through every container in the game.

    I recently played an inquisitor that was always casting detect evil wherever he went. Whenever he found it he killed it without delay, that was actually quite fun.

  • Time4TiddyTime4Tiddy Member Posts: 262
    I think the important thing to consider is whether you are going for a role-playing experience or a power-gaming experience. People seem to pick paladins to power-game and then play them like neutral evil fighters.

    Having said that, I believe even in the in-game description it says that paladins don't follow laws blindly - a paladin will break someone out of jail who has been wrongfully accused, or overthrow the rightful ruler if they are a tyrant.
  • CaptRoryCaptRory Member Posts: 1,660
    Too true @Time4Tiddy . Paladins are the embodiments of Law AND Good. Further, Law doesn't mean they obey every law, it means they obey their own and if applicable their god's. A paladin with a properly libertarian moral code could come off as a highly principle Chaotic Good.
  • kamuizinkamuizin Member Posts: 3,704
    Time4Tiddy said:

    I think the important thing to consider is whether you are going for a role-playing experience or a power-gaming experience. People seem to pick paladins to power-game and then play them like neutral evil fighters.

    Having said that, I believe even in the in-game description it says that paladins don't follow laws blindly - a paladin will break someone out of jail who has been wrongfully accused, or overthrow the rightful ruler if they are a tyrant.

    Or not.

    They are Lawful AND Good, that doesn't meant that every paladin is good before lawful, some are lawful before good and other roleplays just mix the concepts and go deeper inside the personality of the paladin, cos the alignment idea of D&D isn't made to lock behaviors but to guide them towards a base. People are more complex than 9 kinds of behavior.
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