Jedi Paladins for 4e

I can hear you drooling already. Stop that.

Here’s today’s challenge. Name three differences between the Paladin and your average Jedi Knight. If you get as far as “Paladins wear plate armour” and “Jedis use light sabres” then get stuck, join the club. Where Jedis have their belief in the all-pervading Force and Paladins their loyalty to a Deity (pick one…. any one, so long as it’s good-aligned), there’s precious little to differentiate between your Jedi Knights and most Orders of Paladins. Both are organized forces for lawful good which use might and the power of their belief in a cohesive supernatural power to bring about the defeat of evil. Both have hierarchical structures and traditions that date back generations. And – almost without exception – both contain more than their quota of smug self-righteous bastards.

So why not bring a little Jedi magic to your 4e game using the Paladin Class as a base. Replacing the heavy armour with monk’s robes is less of an issue with 4e if the DEX or INT attribute is sufficiently high. Take Diplomacy, Insight and Religion as your Trained Skills and fill your fourth slot with Heal, History or Intimidate depending on whether you want your Jedi Paladin to be fill a role as Aide, Advisor or Guardian.

Multi-classing as a Wizard opens up Thunderwave as a per Encounter Power – perfect for using the Force to knock back foes. Better yet, play a half-elf Jedi Paladin and take Thunderwave as your Dilettante Power and use your Feat slot to fine-tune your character concept. Feats such as Action Surge, Alertness (“I feel a disturbance in the Force”), Combat Reflexes, Defensive Mobility, Linguist, Power Attack and Skill Training (Acrobatics) are all terrific choices for your Jedi Paladin character.

If you’re playing a half-elf Jedi Paladin and using the standard stat array of 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 16 allocate the highest values to DEX, CHA and WIS then distribute the rest according to character concept. This will give you a reasonable AC (thanks to DEX) as well as a bonus to your CHA-based Powers. Both Bolstering Strike and Enfeebling Strike – the two Paladin CHA-based at-wills in the PHB – are pretty solid Powers, and several of your per Encounter and Daily Powers rely on a positive WIS bonus for their effects.

When it comes to equipment, choose a Longsword and aim to get a magical Longsword for the full-on Jedi effect as soon as possible. A Frost Longsword +1 is only level 3, and at 680gp is worth every penny. Picture that glowing blue blade…………

As your Jedi Paladin is only dressed in little more that monk’s robes, anything that boosts your AC is a Good Thing. Sylvan Cloth +1 armour costs 680gp and provides a +1 bonus to AC, Stealth and Athletics – ideal for your Jedi Paladin when involved in… ahem… trade negotiations. Check out the Adventurer’s Vault for more armour ideas.

Here’s a quick example.

Dane Maelstrom was “adopted” by the all-seers Temple when his high sensitivity for the feelings of others was detected by a passing Cleric. Trained from an early age, Dane is unquestioning of Temple teachings, and the initial adventure is his first foray into the world beyond the Temple walls.

Dane Maelstrom, Lawful Good Half-elf Male Paladin-1

STR 12, CON 12, DEX, 16, INT 11, WIS 13, CHA 16
HP 27, bloodied 13, surges 6 x 11/day
AC 13, Fort 12, Ref 14, Will 14, Squares 6, Low-light vision

Longsword +4 vs AC, 1d8+1, versatile
Bolstering Strike/at-will +6 vs AC, Enfeebling Strike/at-will +6 vs AC
Thunderwave/enc +0 vs fortitude, Shielding Smite/enc +6 vs AC
On Pain of Death/day +3 vs will

Acrobatics +8, Diplomacy +10, History +5, Insight +8, Religion +5
Common, Elven
Divine Challenge, Lay on Hands, Channel Divinity (Divine Mettle, Divine Smite), Dual Heritage, Group Diplomacy, Skill Training (Acrobatics)

See?

The first person to generate Master Yoda as an Epic-level Goblin Jedi Paladin wins a super special no-prize.