What would y'all say? I know it's dark and I'm sorry I'm just looking for a character who is strong but broken and has the chance for Redemption and who isn't evil even though she could have become so. A kind of rise from the ashes stronger and more radiant character.
SoI came up with an idea for an oath-breaker Paladin a few days ago but my friends and I are in a debate on it about whether or not it is truly an oath-breaker Paladin or not. The premise behind the character is that as part of her oath of the crown she has sworn to keep evil from spreading its influence too far and she has promised to uphold her chastity until her God has chosen for her someone to marry along with maybe another thing or two. While she and a group of others were escorting a caravan from one city to the next, they settled down for the night and were ambushed by demons or devils and the men slaughtered and the women were taken, raped, impregnated, and then put back out into the world to spread evil influence via more potentially evil tieflings born. When she prayed to her God, who I haven't chosen yet because I have only just come up with this character, they are displeased that she has gone against her oaths even if not by her choice and have taken her Paladin abilities away from her and she has to redeem herself in order to get them back. Angry that her God would turn their back on her like this she finds another God or deity to worship and leaves her baby at a temple to Bahamut while she tries to find peace and solace in being an oath-breaker and to find new purpose and meaning and to possibly redeem herself in some way or another.
They are saying she would not be an oath-breaker because she did not willingly break her oaths even though they was broken repeatedly over and over while he was imprisoned by demons are devils and continued by the fact that she did not kill her captors or potentially evil child.
What would y'all say? I would appreciate some help and insight on making this character workable. Again, I know it's dark and I'm sorry, just thought it was an interesting idea.
”If a paladin willfully violates his or her oath and shows no sign of repentance, the consequences can be more serious. At the DM’s discretion, an impenitent paladin might be forced to abandon this class and adopt another, or perhaps to take the Oathbreaker paladin option that appears in the Dungeon Master’s Guide.”
Apaladin must willfully violate their oaths, and show no signs of repentance. Your character did not break their oaths willingly, and did repent, therefore, not an oath breaker. Based on that, I would question the god’s response, as it seems to go against RAW. Which brings up, is this purely yours, or is it the DM’s idea? Because if the DM is on board, then violating RAW is no problem.
A bigger question is, do you have DM approval to play an oathbreaker? They are typically not meant for PCs — there’s a reason they are in the DMG. And you need to be a level 3 pally to become one (again per RAW). And some of their powers aren’t great help to the party, unless the rest of the party is a bunch of undead or fiends.
I get the idea of a redemption arc, but you can do that without being an oathbreaker. Just do it through role play. Not every character choice needs a mechanical representation. In this case, it could be the king (that you swore your oath of the crown to) is not forgiving and cast you out. You’re still a paladin, and you still want to redeem yourself. There’s a lot of story potential in a disgraced knight who still risks her life to protect her land. No oathbreaker shenanigans needed.
What would y'all say? I know it's dark and I'm sorry I'm just looking for a character who is strong but broken and has the chance for Redemption and who isn't evil even though she could have become so. A kind of rise from the ashes stronger and more radiant character.
SoI came up with an idea for an oath-breaker Paladin a few days ago but my friends and I are in a debate on it about whether or not it is truly an oath-breaker Paladin or not. The premise behind the character is that as part of her oath of the crown she has sworn to keep evil from spreading its influence too far and she has promised to uphold her chastity until her God has chosen for her someone to marry along with maybe another thing or two. While she and a group of others were escorting a caravan from one city to the next, they settled down for the night and were ambushed by demons or devils and the men slaughtered and the women were taken, raped, impregnated, and then put back out into the world to spread evil influence via more potentially evil tieflings born. When she prayed to her God, who I haven't chosen yet because I have only just come up with this character, they are displeased that she has gone against her oaths even if not by her choice and have taken her Paladin abilities away from her and she has to redeem herself in order to get them back. Angry that her God would turn their back on her like this she finds another God or deity to worship and leaves her baby at a temple to Bahamut while she tries to find peace and solace in being an oath-breaker and to find new purpose and meaning and to possibly redeem herself in some way or another.
They are saying she would not be an oath-breaker because she did not willingly break her oaths even though they was broken repeatedly over and over while he was imprisoned by demons are devils and continued by the fact that she did not kill her captors or potentially evil child.
What would y'all say? I would appreciate some help and insight on making this character workable. Again, I know it's dark and I'm sorry, just thought it was an interesting idea.
Not an oath-breaker.
”If a paladin willfully violates his or her oath and shows no sign of repentance, the consequences can be more serious. At the DM’s discretion, an impenitent paladin might be forced to abandon this class and adopt another, or perhaps to take the Oathbreaker paladin option that appears in the Dungeon Master’s Guide.”
A paladin must willfully violate their oaths, and show no signs of repentance. Your character did not break their oaths willingly, and did repent, therefore, not an oath breaker. Based on that, I would question the god’s response, as it seems to go against RAW. Which brings up, is this purely yours, or is it the DM’s idea? Because if the DM is on board, then violating RAW is no problem.
A bigger question is, do you have DM approval to play an oathbreaker? They are typically not meant for PCs — there’s a reason they are in the DMG. And you need to be a level 3 pally to become one (again per RAW). And some of their powers aren’t great help to the party, unless the rest of the party is a bunch of undead or fiends.
I get the idea of a redemption arc, but you can do that without being an oathbreaker. Just do it through role play. Not every character choice needs a mechanical representation. In this case, it could be the king (that you swore your oath of the crown to) is not forgiving and cast you out. You’re still a paladin, and you still want to redeem yourself. There’s a lot of story potential in a disgraced knight who still risks her life to protect her land. No oathbreaker shenanigans needed.
Sounds like a back story for a Vengeance pally...