Compassionate Warlord (Samurai/Paladin)

While samurai hold to a form of personal honor, not all feel they are of a noble or virtuous heart. As such, there are those who seek to purify themselves, becoming a vessel of the divine and serving in the capacity of a compassionate warlord. Compassionate warlords are imbued with holy power. This power allows the compassionate warlord to both strike down the enemies of mankind, and provide relief to those who stand in need. These latter abilities allow the warlord to serve his fellow man in a kind and compassionate manner, and meant to teach the often boisterous samurai humility. Whether standing against a vile fiend of the outer planes or a tyrannical warlord bent of grinding the commoners of his realm underfoot, the compassionate warlord holds the line in the cause of light and virtue. (Original Concept by Elghinn Lightbringer)

Primary Class: Samurai.

Secondary Class: Paladin.

Alignment: Any good.

Hit Dice: d10.

Bonus Skills and Ranks: The compassionate warlord may select three paladin skills to add to his class skills in addition to the normal samurai class skills. The compassionate warlord gains a number of ranks at each level equal to 4 + Int modifier.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: The compassionate warlord is proficient with all simple and martial weapons, plus the katana, naginata, and wakizashi. The compassionate warlord is also proficient with all types of armor (heavy, light, and medium, and with shields (except tower shields).

Aura of Good (Su): At 1st level, a compassionate warlord gains the paladin’s aura of good. The power of a compassionate warlord’s aura of good (see the detect good spell) is equal to his compassionate warlord level.

Order: This is exactly like the samurai’s ability of the same name, except that the compassionate warlord may also select a divine order or the new Order of the Merciful Sword.

Smiting Challenge (Su): This is exactly like the samurai’s challenge ability, except that if the target of the compassionate warlord’s challenge is evil, he also adds his Charisma modifier to all damage rolls made against the target of his challenge. If the target of his challenge is an outsider with the evil subtype, an evil-aligned dragon, or an undead creature, the bonus to damage on the first successful attack increases to twice the compassionate warlord’s Charisma modifier. Regardless of the target, smiting challenge attacks automatically bypass any DR the evil creature might possess. Smiting challenge counts for feats with challenge or smite evil as prerequisites. This ability otherwise functions as and replaces challenge.

Lay on Hands (Su): At 5th level, a compassionate warlord gains the paladin’s lay on hands ability. Using this ability consumes one use of his resolve ability. With one use of this ability, a compassionate warlord can heal 1d6 hit points of damage for every two compassionate warlord levels he possesses. Using this ability is a standard action, unless the compassionate warlord targets himself, in which case it is a swift action. This ability otherwise functions as lay on hands and replaces banner.

Merciful Banner (Su): At 6th level, a compassionate warlord gains the cavalier’s banner ability. In addition, as a full-round action, a compassionate warlord can expend one use of his resolve ability to remove a condition from a number of allies equal his Charisma modifier. To be affected, the designated allies must be within 30 feet and of the compassionate warlord and gaze at his banner for 1 full round. At the end of the round, the indicated condition is removed from each ally. Merciful banner can remove a condition caused by a curse, disease, or poison without curing the affliction. Such conditions return after 1 hour unless the effect actually removes the affliction that causes the condition.

At 6th level, the compassionate warlord can choose from the fatigued, shaken, or sickened conditions.

At 12th level, a compassionate warlord adds the dazed, diseased, and staggered conditions to the list of those that can be selected.

At 18th level, a compassionate warlord adds the cursed, exhausted, frightened, nauseated, and poisoned conditions to the list of those that can be selected.

These conditions are cumulative. For example, a 12th-level compassionate warlord’s merciful banner can be used to cure fatigue and exhausted conditions as well as removing disease and neutralizing poison. Once a condition or spell effect is chosen, it can't be changed. This ability replaces bonus feats.

Aura of Courage (Su): At 9th level, a compassionate warlord gains the paladin’s aura of courage ability. This ability replaces greater resolve.

Aura of Healing (Su): At 11th level, a compassionate warlord can expend one use of her channel positive energy ability to emit a 30-foot aura of healing for a number of rounds equal to her compassionate warlord level. Allies in this aura (including the compassionate warlord) automatically stabilize if below 0 hit points and are immune to bleed damage. In addition, allies (including the compassionate warlord) that spend at least 1 full round inside the aura are healed an amount of damage equal to their total number of Hit Dice and may make a saving throw against any afflictions they are suffering from, such as a curse, disease, or poison. This saving throw only counts toward curing the affliction and does not impose any penalty on a failed save. Allies can only be healed once by a use of this ability and they can only attempt additional saving throws once per day, even if they are exposed to this aura multiple times. This ability replaces honorable stand.

Aura of Faith (Su): At 14th level, a compassionate warlord gains the paladin’s aura of faith ability. This ability replaces greater banner.

Aura of Righteousness (Su): At 17th level, a compassionate warlord gains the paladin’s aura of righteousness ability. This ability replaces true resolve.

Table: Compassionate Warlord