Paladin

This page is specifically for the paladin class in.

For the version in, refer to Paladin (Baldur's Gate).

Introduction
Paladins are warriors devoted to law, justice, piety and chivalry and are an example to others in society. For this reason paladins can only have an alignment of Lawful Good. They can use all kinds of weapons and armor and have special abilities to fight and protect others from evil.

Player character paladins, with the exception of blackguard, can become fallen if they kill an innocent or if party reputation drops below 7 (the same is true of rangers). Fallen paladins lose a lot of experience points and all of their paladin special abilities. Redemption is possible if, during the events of Shadows of Amn, the player obtains a paladin stronghold and completes all class-specific quests associated with it.

Only humans may choose to be paladins. Though humans can generally dual-class, paladins may not, nor can they be dual-classed into.

Character abilities table
During character creation, rolls below the minimum value for the class will be increased to that value. This table uses the values for Humans, other Races have modified ability scores.

^ Paladins have access to percentile Strength

Turn Undead
Paladins may Turn Undead once they reach level 3, but unlike clerics, whose turning powers scale fully with their levels up to 40, paladins only scales with 2 levels less, and maxes at 32.

When this mode is activated, there is a possibility the undead in range of the character will stop attacking their targets and run away from the character until the effect is worn off. At higher levels, this mode may destroy undead. Blackguard control the undead instead, just like the evil clerics do.

Lay On Hands
Heals the creature paladin touches for 2 HP/level. A paladin of level 1 will only heal 2 hitpoints, but this ability scales all the way to level 34, granting up to 68 HP recovery on touch.

Detect Evil
This ability is like the spell Detect Evil but cast at faster speed. All evil aligned creatures will glow red.

Protection From Evil
This ability is like the spell Protection from Evil but cast at faster speed. All evil aligned creatures will receive a -2 penalty to their attack roll when targeting creatures protected by the spell, the protected creature receive +2 bonus to all saving throws from when targeted by evil creatures and also prevents creatures summoned by spells as Cacofiend, Summon Fiend and Gate.

Saving throws bonus
They gain a passive -2 bonus to all saving throws

Cleric spells
Paladins are able to use cleric spells when they reach level 9. They may only use spells levels 1 to 4. The caster level for these spells is calculated as eight levels less than the current Paladin level, but maxes out at level 9 in classic versions. In the Enhanced Editions, the caster level increases all the way up to the max of 20 at level 28.

Paladins do not gain wisdom based bonus spell slots.

Paladin
A Paladin is a warrior bold and pure, the exemplar of everything good and true. Like the Fighter, the Paladin is a person of action and combat. However, the Paladins live for the ideals of righteousness, justice, honesty, piety, and chivalry and strive to be a living example of these virtues so that others may learn from them as well as gain by their actions

Class features: Gameplay
 * May wear helmets
 * May wear any armor and use any weapon
 * May not exceed Specialization (two slots) in any fighting style and allocate three slots in Two-Weapon Style
 * May use Lay On Hands ability once per day to heal a target for 2 Hit Points per level of the Paladin
 * May cast Detect Evil once per day per level (starts at 1st level with 4 uses)
 * May cast Protection From Evil once per day per level (starts at 1st level with one use)
 * May Turn Undead as a Cleric two levels lower, starting at level 3
 * May cast cleric spells starting at level 9
 * Receives a -2 bonus to all Saving Throws
 * Alignment restricted to lawful good
 * Hit Die: d10
 * Paladin kits are generally superior to the standard paladin, they provide immunity to commonly used status effects and bonus abilities with minimal penalties
 * Companion Ajantis is a paladin

Cavalier
This class represents the most common picture of the knight: the chivalrous warrior who epitomizes honor, courage, and loyalty. The cavalier is specialized in battling "classical" evil monsters such as demons and dragons.

Advantages: Disadvantages: Gameplay
 * -3 bonus to THAC0 and +3 to damage rolls against all fiendish and draconic creatures
 * May cast Remove Fear as an innate ability once every day for every level
 * Immune to charm, poison, fear and morale failure
 * 20% resistance to fire and acid
 * May not use missile weapon except throwing axes and throwing daggers
 * The early purchasable Azuredge in Shadows of Amn campaign is a good ranged weapon choice for Cavalier

Inquisitor
The Inquisitors have dedicated their life to finding and eliminating practitioners of evil magic and defeating the forces of darkness, and their god has provided them with special abilities toward that end..

Advantages: Disadvantages: Gameplay
 * May use the spell Dispel Magic as an innate ability. Gains one use at level 1 and an additional use every 4 levels thereafter.
 * May use the spell True Sight as an innate ability. Gains one use at level 1 and an additional use every 4 levels thereafter
 * Immune to hold and charm
 * May not Turn Undead
 * May not Lay On Hands
 * May not cast cleric spells, but may still learn Summon Deva HLA as an innate ability
 * The fast casting True Sight is powerful if you don’t have other substitutes such as Thieves' Hood, Gem of Seeing; Dispel is cast as if level 40 max is quite useful, but keep in mind that being incapable of using Armor of Faith means Inquisitors are more susceptible to damage than other paladin kits
 * Companion Keldorn is an Inquisitor

Undead Hunter
These holy avengers have honed their abilities toward the destruction of the undead and other unnatural creatures and is immune to many of the creatures' most devastating abilities

Advantages: Disadvantages: Gameplay
 * -3 bonus to THAC0 and +3 to damage rolls against undead creatures
 * Immune to hold and level drain
 * May not Lay On Hands
 * It’s arguable that the ample selections of anti-undead arsenal such as Sunray, Mace of Disruption, SoPfU etc, may counterbalance the actual effectiveness of the Undead Hunter

Blackguard (EE only)
The Blackguard epitomizes evil and is nothing short of a mortal fiend. The quintessential black knight, this villain carries a reputation of the foulest sort that is very well deserved. Consorting with demons and devils and serving dark deities, the Blackguard is hated and feared by all. Some people call these villains "anti-paladins" due to their completely evil nature.

Advantages: 3rd - All enemies suffer a +1 penalty to THAC0 and -1 to damage rolls and a +2 penalty to Armor Class for 1 turn 6th - All enemies suffer a +2 penalty to THAC0 and -2 to damage rolls and a +2 penalty to Armor Class for 1 turn 15th - All enemies suffer a +4 penalty to THAC0 and -4 to damage rolls and a +4 penalty to Armor Class for 1 turn; enemies with 8 or fewer Hit Dice are panicked as well 20th - All enemies suffer a +4 penalty to THAC0 and -4 to damage rolls and a +4 penalty to Armor Class for 1 turn; enemies with 18 or fewer Hit Dice are panicked as well Disadvantages: Gameplay
 * Immune to fear and level drain
 * May turn undead as a Paladin of the same level
 * May use the Absorb Health ability once per day. Deals 2 points of damage per level to an enemy, healing the Blackguard the same number of Hit Points
 * May use the Poison Weapon ability once per day. Gains one use at level 1, one use at level 5, and an additional use every 5 levels thereafter
 * 3rd level: May use the Aura of Despair ability once per day. When this ability is activated, all enemies within 30 feet of the Blackguard suffer ill effects based on the Blackguard's level:
 * Blackguard status unaffected by reputation
 * Alignment restricted to evil
 * May not cast Detect Evil
 * May not cast Protection From Evil as an innate ability
 * May not Lay On Hands
 * Companion Dorn is a Blackguard, he’s neutrally immune to the fear curse from Durlag's Goblet

High-level class abilities
High-level class abilities are added in the expansion Baldur's Gate II: Throne of Bhaal. For warrior group and Monks, the pool of abilities can be accessed from the special abilities menu. These abilities are available once they reach the level beyond 3,000,000 xp
 * Power Attack, can be selected as many times you like
 * Critical Strike, requires power attack, can be selected as many times you like
 * Smite, requires power attack and critical strike, can be selected only one time
 * Deathblow, can be selected as many times you like
 * Greater Deathblow, requires deathblow, can be selected as many times you like
 * Whirlwind, can be selected as many times you like
 * Greater Whirlwind, it requires whirlwind, can be selected as many times you like
 * War Cry, can be selected as many times you like
 * Hardiness, can be selected as many times you like
 * Resist Magic, can be selected as many times you like
 * Summon Deva, (except Blackguard)
 * Summon Fallen Deva (Blackguard only)

Stronghold
Paladins receive the Most Noble Order of the Radiant Heart as their patron and the duty responsibilities after they complete Rescue Garren's child from Firkraag in the righteous way.

Paladin specific items
Paladins have access to two of the best ranking weapons in Baldur's Gate 2 as well as a special pair of bracers. One is a two-handed sword, Carsomyr the Holy Avenger, that obliterates evil monsters and can cast dispel magics. The other is a bastard sword called the Purifier. The Paladin's Bracers introduced in Watcher's Keep are a Paladin only item, and can be further upgraded to the Blessed Bracers making it one of the best hand-slot items in the game.

Gameplay (community)
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