Black Guards and Virtuous Knights
Welcome back, everyone, to another Foursaken Feature. This week, as you may or may not know, is Paladin Week here at Necromancers of the Northwest, and so, in keeping with that spirit this week’s Foursaken Feature brings you a pair of new paladin paragon paths designed by yours truly. The first of these, for those of you who are looking for a paragon in support of your dark-hearted antihero, is the dread blackguard. Secondly, for those of you looking for something for that special champion of light in your game, is the knight of heavenly virtue. Enjoy!
Dread Blackguard
“The might of my fell master is made manifest through me!”
Prerequisites: Evil or chaotic evil, paladin
The deities of goodness and law preach of peace and unity; their words are hollow. They seek harmony; strength is found only in conflict. They claim they alone hold the keys to salvation; this is a lie – seek the other path.
You are not a sheep to blindly follow the path of weakness and stagnation; you seek to be something more. It is through conflict and discord that you are strengthened, through power that your will is measured against all that is and your worthiness judged. Your deity, considered evil because he offers power, preaches that strength is the path to salvation, and encourages you to be more, is alone worthy of your devotion and you offer him your service as a dread blackguard.
Dread blackguards are paladins in the service of a malign deity, and their strength and devotion marks them as among their dark master’s greatest mortal servants. In exchange for this service the dread blackguard is granted access to some of his dark patron’s power, which he uses to accomplish various dread aims.
Blackguard’s Action (11th level): When you spend an action point, the malicious energies of your dark patron manifest themselves around you, dealing necrotic damage equal to your Charisma modifier to adjacent foes.
Dark Power (11th level): Whenever you would deal radiant damage, you deal necrotic damage instead. Additionally any target marked by your divine challenge gains vulnerability 5 necrotic; at 21st level this increases to vulnerability 10 necrotic.
Blackguards Curse (16th level): Any target marked by your divine challenge looses any resistance to necrotic damage they may have possessed.
Dread Blackguard Prayers
Knight of Heavenly Virtue
“I give my oath now and always to do no evil act, and uphold these highest of sacred virtues, even unto my death and in the heavenly realm beyond.”
Prerequisites: Good or lawful good, paladin
The way is not an easy one, the path fraught with temptation. The way is not a short one, but the path is long and perilous. The way is sacrifice, the path trying. The way is truth; let honor guide you. The way is temperance; let wisdom rule in your heart. The way is love; let your soul reflect kindness. The way is life, and its rewards are truly rich.
You have followed the way your whole life, leaving behind temptation, deceit, and arrogance to become something more. Goodness flows through you like an inexhaustible spring, bringing light and hope wherever you go. You are a champion of your deity, upholding his virtuous tenants at all costs. You have made it your life goal to bring the light of your deity to all corners of the world so that others might share in his glory. For your devotion, your deity has blessed you with the power to further your virtuous aims as a knight of heavenly virtue.
Knights of heavenly virtue wield their deities’ holy power, offering their allies protection and punishing the denizens of evil. Knights of heavenly virtue have abilities that are more effective against the servants of evil, and possess a number of abilities designed to strengthen their allies.
Virtuous Action (11th level): Whenever you spend an action point you feel a surge of holy virtue that bolsters your defenses, increasing all your defenses by 2 for a number of rounds equal to your Charisma bonus.
Heavenly Blessing (11th level): If a target has benefited from your lay on hands ability,they also receive a +1 bonus on all saving throws for the rest of the day.
Knights Boon (16th level): In addition to recovering hit points, the target of your lay on hands ability receives a +2 bonus to all defenses for a number of rounds equal to your Charisma modifier.
Knight of Heavenly Virtue Prayers
Thus ends this week’s Foursaken Feature. I hope you enjoyed the new paragon paths and that you will join us next week for more fourth edition fun. Until next time I wish you all the best in your gaming endeavors.