Topic: What powers and abilities/STATS would you give a level 20 corrupt paladin?

[Druss_the_Legend]

What powers and abilities/STATS would you give a level 20 corrupt paladin?

[brole]

None.
They simply channel from their new 'anti-deity'.

[MisterK]

Not a paladin anymore - "paladin" and "corrupt" are a bit opposite to each other.

So maybe they are a Priest semi-user of a dark power. Or a rogue who serves an evil deity and spent a bit too much time trying to learn spell lists. Or a Mythic with a bit of an emphasis on combat skills. Or a Warlock or Summoner with good weapon skills and transcend armour to offset the armour penalties and lower spell lists to compensate.

But not a paladin.

[rdanhenry]

Depends on what you mean by "corrupt". If he's still serving the his original god, then give him normal abilities, but maybe penalize his spell powers in some way to reflect the displeasure of his god with his weaknesses, be it alcoholism, promiscuity, gambling, or whatever. And make sure he has any appropriate skills (which will depend on which version of RM you are using and what options, if RM2) to match his "corruption". If you mean he has fallen to evil, give him some Evil spell lists (probably only to a low level, as he apparently didn't start out as an Evil Paladin). Again, there might be some skills you want to give him for thematic reasons. But otherwise, stat him out as needed for your game. If he's going to be the "boss" villain for a session, make him tough. If he's going to be the main villain for a series of sessions, make him *really* tough. If he's an NPC support character that the PCs are expected to redeem, make him useful but make sure he won't overshadow the PCs.

[intothatdarkness]

Or dig up Companion III and reconfigure him into a Chaotic Lord. Those can be quite interesting...

[EltonJ]

Or dig up Companion III and reconfigure him into a Chaotic Lord. Those can be quite interesting...

This suggestion I like.

[Druss_the_Legend]

Or dig up Companion III and reconfigure him into a Chaotic Lord. Those can be quite interesting...

nice. im going with this idea for sure.

[B Hanson]

This is what I did for an evil paladin (Unholy Warrioir)

https://ironcrown.co.uk/ICEforums/index.php?topic=16688.msg203401#msg203401

[OLF, i.e. Olf Le Fol]

I'd respectively swap the paladin's "Hand of Cleansing", "Hand of Healing" and "Exorcism" spell lists by "Disease" (S.L.), "Poison Mastery" (RoCo. 1) and "Animate Dead" (RoCo. 2), whilst keeping the others.

[pastaav]

If you are after a fighter with unexpected powers, but do not want ot raise the power level too much, some of the spell lists from Channeling Companion might be worth looking at.

[AliasAerius]

Or dig up Companion III and reconfigure him into a Chaotic Lord. Those can be quite interesting...

Just remember that Chaotic Armor is possibly the most broken spell list ever created.

[EltonJ]

I thought that the macabre profession was broken.

[Spectre771]

... the same powers, stats, spells the "not-corrupt-paladin" would have. 

A paladin serves a god/church/religion.  It doesn't matter what/who the god is, the paladin serves it and all other religions/gods are "wrong."  I was raised Catholic, so I was taught all other religions were wrong and if I worship any other God or religion then I am wrong and will go to hell.  But am I evil or corrupt if I don't follow the Catholic faith anymore?  I'd be excommunicated for certain, but I would be embraced by my new faith and not considered "evil" by the new religion.

Depends on what you mean by "corrupt". If he's still serving the his original god, then give him normal abilities, but maybe penalize his spell powers in some way to reflect the displeasure of his god with his weaknesses,

...

 If he's an NPC support character that the PCs are expected to redeem, make him useful but make sure he won't overshadow the PCs.

rdanhenry nailed it.  If by "corrupt" you mean he still worships his original god, but has strayed from the path, then there are penalties already imposed such as loss of powers or spells or PPs.  If he's turned his back on the god completely and has taken up supporting another god, then he'll likely have members of his original faith hunting him down to "save" him or to "impose penance" upon him.

[foilfodder]

What powers and abilities/STATS would you give a level 20 corrupt paladin?

What role is this corrupt paladin in the game?
- are you a player designing a character to play or a GM creating an NPC?
- if an NPC for the players to overcome, is the paladin the one calling the shots, or are they simpy muscle to do the dirty work for someone higher up in their deity's list of devoted servants

Once you have a clear idea what role this corrupt paladin is playing you can pick skills/abilities/spells and equipment to match.

Three ideas based on typical tropes:

- evil overlord that rules through overt use of power, probably suported by demons or undead. Spell lists and items would help them build their forces and find threats to their rule. May not be the type to personally engage in combat.

- champion of darkness would be the muscle behind an evil overlord, or an independent doer of foul deeds who only wishes to fight and destroy. Default Paladin spell lists would good for this type. Beefed up by weapons and armor to make them capable of taking on the whole PC group at once (items too corrupt for the PCs to use if they kill the bad guy).

- puppet master is someone who works with subterfuge rather than direct power or action. Stealth, deception, bribery, misdirection are powerful mudane skills. Spells for stealth, nondetection, mind control/charm and information gathering would be useful.

[Druss_the_Legend]

What powers and abilities/STATS would you give a level 20 corrupt paladin?

What role is this corrupt paladin in the game?
- are you a player designing a character to play or a GM creating an NPC?
- if an NPC for the players to overcome, is the paladin the one calling the shots, or are they simpy muscle to do the dirty work for someone higher up in their deity's list of devoted servants

Once you have a clear idea what role this corrupt paladin is playing you can pick skills/abilities/spells and equipment to match.

Three ideas based on typical tropes:

- evil overlord that rules through overt use of power, probably suported by demons or undead. Spell lists and items would help them build their forces and find threats to their rule. May not be the type to personally engage in combat.

- champion of darkness would be the muscle behind an evil overlord, or an independent doer of foul deeds who only wishes to fight and destroy. Default Paladin spell lists would good for this type. Beefed up by weapons and armor to make them capable of taking on the whole PC group at once (items too corrupt for the PCs to use if they kill the bad guy).

- puppet master is someone who works with subterfuge rather than direct power or action. Stealth, deception, bribery, misdirection are powerful mudane skills. Spells for stealth, nondetection, mind control/charm and information gathering would be useful.

evil paladin is devoted to a blood thirsty godesss and protects the cult and its temples.
the cult have the goal of returning a banished sect of powerful vampires from their prison/banishment from the campaign world.
There a 5 unique vampire lords who rule over a different region in the world but shar ethe same goals of chaos and disharmony, enslaving innocents and seeking out and using dark magic/knowledge.
each Vanpire Lord has six corrupt knights serving them and these are attached to the temple/stronghold the cult has set up.
There is an overall Big Boss leader archmage Lich

[EltonJ]

You can definitely use the paladin profession to reflect your corrupt knights.  What version of RM are you using?

[jdale]

I'd probably use the profession but swap out the spell lists, either for Evil lists or other thematic lists, and give them some vampiric/undead abilities. Ideally the abilities would differ based on which vampire lord they served (if the vampire lords have different powers or different styles of doing things).

[rdanhenry]

Assuming that the knights are not vampires themselves, maybe include a custom spell list that allows them to temporary grant themselves vampire-like powers?

[OLF, i.e. Olf Le Fol]

I'd respectively swap the paladin's "Hand of Cleansing", "Hand of Healing" and "Exorcism" spell lists by "Disease" (S.L.), "Poison Mastery" (RoCo. 1) and "Animate Dead" (RoCo. 2), whilst keeping the others.

Ok, consequently to Druss' post, I'd also swap the Paladin's "Communion" spell list with "Vampyric Magicks" (RoCo. 7)