Design Day: The Guardian of the Green

And now we’re back for Design Day number 7. Today’s piece was inspired by this thread on the Paizo messageboards. It’s something I’ve been wanting to accomplish for a long time, and now I’ve finally put my mind to it and made it happen.

It’s an archetype. Specifically, a nature-based paladin. Some might claim that the ranger acts well enough as a natural warrior, but I thought I’d take it one step further and create the Guardian of the Green, a true defender of nature and the natural order of things.

Guardians of the Green are mystical defenders of nature, drawing their strength from the world itself, rather than from the force of a deity.

Alignment: Neutral Good.

Weapon and Armor proficiency: The Guardian of the green cannot wear armors made from metal.

Smite Evil (Su): The Guardian of the Green’s Smite Evil ability does not deal 2 points of damage per paladin level on the first attack against outsiders with the evil subtype. Instead, it deals 2 points of damage per paladin level on the first attack against evil aberrations.

Spells: The Guardian of the Green draws her spells from the Ranger spell list, instead of the Paladin spell list.

Divine Bond (Sp): Instead of a divine mount, the Guardian of the Green gains an animal companion, as a druid of her level -3. She must choose her companion from one of the following: badger, bird, camel, cat (small), dire rat, dog, horse, pony, snake (viper or constrictor), or wolf. She cannot summon this companion to her side, and it does not gain the celestial template or spell resistance. She must still go through a 30-day period of mourning if her companion dies before she can seek out a new one.

Aura of Righteousness (Su): This ability grants DR 5/cold iron instead of DR 5/evil.

Champion of the Green (Su): At 20^th level, the Guardian of the Green becomes a paragon of nature. She gains DR 10/cold iron. Additionally, when she strikes an evil aberration she has targeted with her smite evil ability, it must make a fortitude save (DC 20 + her charisma modifier) or die. This immediately ends the smite evil. In addition, whenever she channels positive energy or uses lay on hands to heal a creature, it heals the maximum amount of hit points.

Code of Conduct: A Guardian of the Green must be of neutral good alignment and she loses all class features except proficiencies if she ever willingly commits an evil act.

Additionally, she must respect nature, act with honor (not lying, not cheating, not using poison, and so forth), help those in need (provided they do not use the help for evil ends), and punish those who harm or threaten innocents or nature.

Here’s a link to a formatted google document of the archetype (Linkety-link!).

Here’s hoping you enjoy playing it as much as I loved designing it!

-Chris