Summary
Protectors of the people and the sword arm of the gods, instead of fighting for mere plunder or glory, these radiant champions fight for justice in whichever way they envision it. Paladins have been around for a long time in roleplay gaming, first emerging in tabletop games and naturally being adapted into computer-driven roleplaying games.
The righteous “knight in shining armor” is a potent trope that continues to enamor valiant gamers everywhere, and there are plenty of games that allow fans to live out that fantasy, each with their own take on what the powers and responsibilities of a paladin should entail.
While the signs and works of divine entities are commonplace across Tyria, the guardian profession,Guild Wars 2’svirtuous soldier, does not draw strength from a higher power but from their own beliefs and virtues. Any race can wield the guardian’s righteous blue flame, from the ingenious Asura to the warmongering Charr.
Using light magic such as meditations, spirit weapons, and consecrations, as well as heavy arms, guardians canprotect their allieswhile dishing out damage to evildoers. With their elite specializations, the dragonhunter, firebrand, and willbender, guardians gain access to ranged attacks and traps, magical burning powers via magic tomes, and highly mobile, brutally physical sword strokes, respectively.
One of the RPG genre’s earliest examples of sophisticated storytelling involves the redemption of a wayward soul, a dark knight, on his way to redeeming himself by turning to the side of light.Final Fantasy 4’sCecil Harvey begins as a loyal soldier in a kingdom led by a corrupt king. However, after unwittingly causing the destruction of a village and the death of innocents, he questions not only his orders but his life’s purpose.
Cecil seeks out a way to shed the darkness from his heart. This takes him to Mt. Ordeals, where he confronts his inner demons, forsaking the dark powers he once wielded. Emerging from the mountainas a better man, Cecil embraces his new role as a Paladin, a champion of light and an enemy of the evil that once used him for their nefarious ends.
InPillars of Eternity, like priests, paladins gain their powers from their inherent self-belief.Pillarsencourage roleplay for paladins by associating them with an order, which the player chooses during character creation, a system which goesbeyond the simple “good and evil"or “law against chaos.” An order determines what type of behavior a paladin should demonstrate in the world to receive bonuses.
Orders like the Bleak Walkers, who value ruthlessness, or the Kind Wayfarers, who focus on kindness and protection, each set different expectations for Paladin conduct, diminishing the Paladin’s power. However, these penalties can be repaired and their powers restored by realigning with the order’s beliefs and demonstrating consistent behavior that aligns with its values.
InFinal Fantasy 14, players who start as a Gladiator will eventually graduate to the Paladin job, embodying the classic role with both martial and healing abilities. The Paladin isFF14’squintessential tank classand a shield wall against attacks, able to shield allies, absorb damage, and heal themselves when needed.
With powerful actions like Holy Circle and protective actions like Divine Veil, the Paladin’s utility in both offense and defense makes them a favorite for groups wherever they go where they can truly embody their title of “The Warrior of Light” by fending off agents of darkness.
While players can choose any class (or mix and match classes) inPathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous, there seems to be no better campaign setting than this one to roleplay a paladin, especially if the player decides to take Angel astheir mythic path, which imbues them with the power to heal allies and summon angels to their side, among other angelic abilities.
Paladins pledge themselves to their chosen god and draw their power from faith on the battlefield. While they wield divine power, they must adhere to the Lawful Good alignment in all that they do or be stripped of their powers until they find their way back to the high ground.
TheElder Scrollsseries typically presents a more nuanced cosmology than “demons bad, gods good,” but inOblivion’sDLC,“Knights of the Nine,“players are quite literally put in the shoes (cuirass, gauntlets, greaves, and helm) of a holy knight anointed by the Nine Divines.
To maximize their roleplaying experience, players can choose the crusader class during character creation, which uses Restoration and Destruction magic as Major Skills, or, of course, the knight, which leverages a shield and their shining charisma as well as curative magic to win the day.
The paladin class was originally popularized by the world’s most well known tabletop roleplaying game, so it makes sense that one ofDungeons & Dragons’greatest adaptions,Baludur’s Gate 3, would also include the class, complete with a suite of mechanics that enable immersive roleplaying with this classic holy knight class.
Paladins swear oaths, such as the Oath of Devotion or Oath of Vengeance, each with unique principles and divine powers. These oaths shape not only the character’s abilities but also their moral compass, as Paladins must uphold the values of their oath by navigating situations that test or even tempt them away from upholding their principles.
