UESGEXGE Part 4: Paladins & Rangers
Guardians of the divine and of nature, Paladins and Rangers are made from a similar cloth, but follow a different path. Xanathar's Guide to Everything offers new ways to play your character and we will discuss how to bring this into your Elder Scrolls game.
PALADIN
Living embodiment's of an oath or a promise, paladins are holy warriors that use their martial skill and determination to protect the innocent and bring justice to the world.
As with the cleric, the paladin class doesn't appear in UESTRPG Basic Rules, as these two classes have been combined to create the crusader class. This doesn't mean that paladins would be unheard of in Tamriel. Paladins devote themselves to certain ideals and oaths, many of which can be associated with any number of the gods found throughout Tamriel.
If you want to create a Paladin character in your Elder Scrolls game, Xanathar's provides some ideas to help flesh out your character further. Consider your character's personal goals, symbols they might wear or exemplify, your nemesis, and any possible temptations you might have had.
Personal Goal. All paladins have unmatched dedication, but some are also driven by personal goals that complements their oaths.
Symbol. Paladins often adopt symbols that communicate their oath to those around them. Their symbol could be found on their clothing or on a flag they carry, or it could be something much more subtle.
Nemesis. Taking a hard stance on a particular view attracts the attention of those who stand against it. Having a nemesis is almost a constant for any paladin. When reviewing the table provided in Xanathar's, revise the second option to be a daedra or aedra, rather than a fiend or a celestial.
Temptation. Paladins are known for their dedication to their oaths, but all mortals are flawed. Consider what temptation your character finds the most difficult to resist.
SACRED OATHS
At 3rd level, a paladin gains the Sacred Oath feature. The following describes how to use these options in your Elder Scrolls game.
OATH OF CONQUEST
Those who seek glory in battle and serve the gods and philosophies of war dedicate themselves to the Oath of Conquest. These paladins often find themselves devoted to the denizens of Oblivion rather than the divines, as the Tenets of Conquest align closer with the daedric princes.
Boethia. Known for her love of competition and battle, Boethia regularly holds tournaments, pitting her followers against each other in a display of superior strength. Previous champions succumb as new champions arise, and she blesses those with powerful artifacts in her name. She exemplifies the third tenet: Strength Above All.
Boethia is also famous for her relationship with Trinimac. As the legend goes, Boethia was angered by Trinimac's representation of Lorkhan, so she found a way to trick Trinimac, swallowing him whole and taking his form. She used this new form to gather his followers and blasphemed against them. She revealed the lies of Trinimac's teachings to his own followers, thoroughly shamed the priests, and finally relieved herself of Trinimac in front of the entire assembly, humiliating the sect absolutely. With this action, she sought out the first Tenet of Conquest: Douse the Hope of Flame.
Mehrunes Dagon. The Daedric Prince of Destruction, Mehrunes Dagon is known as a god of pure carnage. Bloodshed follows in the path of any worshiper of Dagon, as he presents himself as a god of very simple demands, absolute annihilation.
Molag Baal. Through his sphere of domination and enslavement, the God of Schemes, the Lord of Brutality, and Prince of Rage, is the embodiment of conquest.
OATH OF REDEMPTION
Paladins that follow the Oath of Redemption believe that anyone can be redeemed. Following this path can be difficult, as it requires constant patience and dedication.
Although they are idealistic in many ways, redeemers are still aware that true evil exists and understand that not everyone can be saved.
In Tamriel, the divines Mara and Dibella teach of love and beauty in the world. Vivec, from the Tribunal Temple, taught love and protection.
Mara. The Goddess of Love, Mara teaches her followers to live soberly and peacefully and to preserve the peace. Her followers believe that love was a gift from Mara so that mortals can have a hint of eternity.
Dibella. The Goddess of Beauty, Dibella teaches her followers to open their hearts to love and seek the treasures of friendship. She also understands that not all creatures are worthy of love, believing that evil creatures, such as the undead, should be shunned.
Vivec. The Warrior Poet, Vivec teaches his followers to serve and protect the weak, honor your family and elders, and seek out holy quests to bring glory to your temple.
RANGER
Rangers are survivalists and protectors. Rangers are to Druids as Paladins are to Clerics. They bring justice to the outlands, removing monstrous threats to keep the wilds safe. Some prefer to avoid civilization altogether, while others try to bring civility to the untamed reaches.
Xanathar's brings new ways to think of your ranger character, to add depth and embellishment to your background and beliefs. Consider how your ranger character views the world, the homeland that they come from, and the sworn enemy that they hunt.
View of the world. Think about your character's outlook toward civilization. Do they prefer to avoid large settlements, preferring to spend their time in the comfort of nature, or do they believe a cities walls are just another tool to protect those they have sworn themselves to.
Homeland. For a ranger, home could mean a few different things. Were you raised in the wilderness and have fond memories of it, or did you start your life within civilization and leave to join the wild? Think about how those experiences influence your behavior today.
If you use the Homelands table to determine your homeland, make the following modifications to suit the selections for your Elder Scrolls game. On a 1, revise the Shadowfell to a realm of Oblivion. On a 3, revise the Underdark to be Blackreach.
Sworn Enemy. Every ranger has made a few enemies. Is it a grudge or is it respect that draws you to seek it out in battle?
RANGER ARCHETYPES
At 3rd level, a ranger gains the Ranger Archetype feature. The following describes how to use these options in your Elder Scrolls game.
GLOOM STALKER
Gloom Stalkers are those that find peace in the darkness, whether that's found in the forests at night or the shadows of alleyways. Gloom Stalkers of Tamriel can be found in the dense forests of Valenwood, the murky swamps of the Black Marsh, or the back alleys of the Imperial City. Anywhere shadows persist, these rangers can be found.
HORIZON WALKER
Rangers who seek out portals to other planes and protect others from the monstrosities that come through them are known as Horizon Walkers.
They seek out these planar portals and keep watch over them, sometimes venturing through Oblivion and Aetherius as needed to pursue their foes.
After the Oblivion Crisis, where daedric creatures were unleashed throughout Tamriel, many Horizon Walker's were called into order, to further protect the provinces in case anything like this ever happened again.
MONSTER SLAYER
Those that dedicate themselves to hunting down creatures of the night and vile beasts call themselves Monster Slayers. They seek out and destroy vampires, lycanthropes, and daedra, along with other magical threats. They have specialized their training to deal with the idiosyncrasies of these particular foes.
It is common for Monster Slayers to join together to share their specialized knowledge and combining forces to take down powerful adversaries.
Dawnguard. The Dawnguard are a group of vampire hunters that were formed as far back as the 2nd Era. Although the Dawnguard isn't always an active faction, they establish themselves when vampire threats become more onerous.
Order of Virtuous Blood. A citizen's group based out of the Imperial City, The Order of Virtuous Blood dedicates itself to hunting down vampires and ridding them from the land. Their origins of this group were a little controversial, as it was started by a vampire, masquerading as a slayer.
Vigilants of Stendarr. Paladins and hunters devoted to ridding Tamriel of wayward daedra, the Vigil of Stendarr found it's beginnings after the Oblivion Crisis. The Vigilants don't reserve themselves to only hunting down daedra, but also hope to rid the world of lycanthropes, necromancers, vampires, and any other evil monstrosities.
Werewolf Hunters. The Silver Hand and the Silver Dawn are two notable werewolf hunting guilds. Brandishing silvered weapons and seeking out lycanthropes of all kinds, these guilds wish to remove these cursed beasts from Tamriel.
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