Half-Celestial, 9th-Level Human Paladin

A celestial’s magical nature allows it to breed with virtually any creature. The offspring of the resulting unions, half-celestials, are glorious and wonderful beings.

To carry out their responsibilities, celestials sometimes spend great amounts of time in mortal realms. Being devoted and kind, they occasionally fall in love with mortals: humans, elves, unicorns, and similar creatures. The objects of celestial affection are never evil and are always intelligent. They always return the love of their immortal paramour and willingly conceive the child, usually caring for it since the celestial has other duties.

No matter the form, half-celestials are always comely and delightful to the senses, having golden skin, sparkling eyes, angelic wings, or some other sign of their higher nature.

Though noble and compassionate, half-celestials are often dismayed at the evil among their kin and take a stern, sometimes harsh, view of base instincts or malevolent actions. Never truly fitting into any mortal society, half-celestials are usually loners and wanderers attempting to right wrongs wherever they can.

The half-celestial paladin is a champion of good, a roving knight whose courage in the face of danger is legendary.

The half-celestial paladin strives to meet his foes in blade-to-blade combat, resorting to flyby attacks only when confronted by a number of dangerous foes. Against a powerful evil creature, the half-celestial paladin readies himself for close combat with his spells and spell-like abilities, and then makes good use of his ability to smite evil.

This example uses a 9th-level human paladin as the base creature.

Daylight (Su): Half-celestials can use daylight (as the spell) at will as a standard action.

Smite Evil (Su): Twice per day, this half-celestial paladin may attempt to smite evil with one normal melee attack. He adds his +4 Charisma modifier to his attack roll and deals 9 points of extra damage (1 per paladin level) if the attack hits. If he accidentally smites a creature that is not evil, the smite has no effect but it is still used up for that day.

Also, once per day this half-celestial paladin can make a normal melee attack with no additional bonus to deal 9 points of extra damage against an evil foe (this is a benefit of the half-celestial template).

Spell-Like Abilities (Half-Celestial): 3/day—protection from evil; 1/day—aid, bless, cure serious wounds (DC 17), dispel evil (DC 19), holy smite (DC 18), neutralize poison, remove disease. Caster level 9th. The save DCs are Charisma-based.

Turn Undead (Su): This paladin turns undead as a 6th-level cleric.

Aura of Courage (Su): This paladin has immunity to fear (magical or otherwise). Each ally within 10 feet of him gains a +4 morale bonus on saving throws against fear effects.

Aura of Good (Ex): This half-celestial paladin radiates a strong aura of good (see the detect good spell) as the 9th-level cleric of a good deity.

Detect Evil (Sp): At will, this paladin can use detect evil, as the spell.

Divine Grace (Su): This paladin applies his Charisma modifier as a bonus on all saving throws.

Divine Health (Ex): This paladin has immunity to all diseases, including supernatural and magical diseases (such as mummy rot and lycanthropy).

Lay on Hands (Su): This paladin can cure up to 36 points of damage per day.

Remove Disease (Sp): Half-celestial paladins can use remove disease twice per week as a spell like ability (this is the paladin’s class feature). A half-celestial also has the ability to use remove disease as a half-celestial spell-like ability (see above).

Typical Paladin Spells Prepared (2/1; save DC 13 + spell level):</strong> 1st—bless weapon, divine favor; 2nd—bull’s strength.

Possessions:</strong> +2 mithral breastplate, +2 large steel shield, +2 bastard sword, masterwork composite longbow (+4 Str bonus), 10 silvered arrows, 10 cold iron arrows. (Different half-celestials may have different possessions.)