Alternate Justicar [Wiki]

Justicars are the elite paladins in the worship of the goddess of paladins (or the closest equivalent in your setting). While there may be many paladins of the goddess, there can never be more than 13 Justicars alive at any one time. The leader of the Justicars is known as the grandmaster. The grandmaster must be a Justicar of at least 8th level. Because the worship of the goddess of paladins has waned substantially, it would be appropriate if there were no current Justicars in your game world and no priests of the necessary level to ordain a Justicar. A Justicar is not simply "a Paladin, but better" - they are near-mythic combatants, capable of changing the tide of entire battles with their presence, and it takes more than devotion and great skill at arms to become a Justicar.

The Holy Order of Justicars is the living embodiment of the first and most important of the triune virtues — Truth. As an embodiment of truth, and in keeping with the strictness of the teachings of their goddess, a Justicar must follow an extremely strict moral code beyond that required of a common paladin. The benefit of this purity and stricture is awe-inspiring — eventually allowing the Justicar to become an avatar of the goddess herself.

It's common for Justicars to focus on the big picture - many of them traverse the planes and even launch assaults into the fiendish realms for one reason or another.

Justicars can be chosen for many different reasons, but there are two especially common reasons for their appearance. First, a world may be threatened by a fiendish force too great for it to normally handle. In cases like these, a deity of good often ordains a Justicar and sets them on the path to master their powers before sending them to strike down the evil threatening the land. Second, Justicars may be ordained to cleanse a church of corruption and set it back on the right path. These Justicars function similarly to Inquisitors - but with even more obvious support from their deity (a fact which tends to convince anyone not wholly corrupt to start walking the right path again).

The official status of a Justicar within a church varies. Despite what some expect, it's rare for Justicars to lead an order of Paladins or other organized group - they're too busy crusading against evil to manage an organization. In most cases, they either act autonomously (answerable only to their deity) or under the direct supervision of the head of the church. The Justicar's strict rules are well-known within the church, including their focus on truth and distaste for falsehood, so their word is considered trustworthy even by those who oppose them. (After all, an evil man can still trust a righteous one to do the right thing.)

Justicars typically have no interest in politicking or jockeying for power within a church - they are powerful enough to accomplish most things on their own and expect lesser members of their church to listen when told to do something. Justicars typically despise corruption within their church, and if made aware of a problem, they will take things into their own hands and resolve the issue. The backing of their deity - including their continued power as a Justicar - gives their word the force of law within their church. Many good churches have codified this into their laws, and it's rare for a Justicar to be lower than second or third within a faith's hierarchy. (That said, this is more a point of interest for the faithful than anything else - since Justicars don't manage a church and rarely stay in one place for too long, it's basically a moot point unless the head of the church is gone and the Justicar needs to lead until a successor can be installed.)

Despite their position within a church, most Justicars spend little time inside temples and rarely call on their church for help or support. They may take a room at a local temple while passing through the area or staying to resolve a problem - typically one of the plainest rooms - but they usually don't ask for spellcasting services or magical items unless a situation requires it. To put it another way, Justicars do not call on the church for a solution because the Justicar is the solution and merely needs to apply themselves to the problem.

For that matter, many Justicars come from outside a formal church hierarchy. It's common for Justicars to arise from the ranks of Paladins and other holy warriors who serve as adventurers instead of guarding a church or working as part of a more formal unit. There's some mystery as to why this is the case, but many scholars believe that the adventurer's life of traveling around under minimal supervision to pursue their goals fits in well with the life of Justicars, who often do the same. After all, Justicars are not weapons held in reserve by churches, to be dispatched only when there is a major danger - their goddess keeps them busy.

Not all churches have Justicars, even among lawful good faiths. Justicars are fundamentally offensive warriors - while they still try to protect others, they believe the best way to do that is to strike down evil before it has the chance to harm innocents. This militant tendency is most prominent in faiths that specifically emphasize hunting evil; other churches prefer different routes and do not ordain Justicars at all. That said, good churches tend to treat Justicars respectfully regardless of theological differences - one doesn't have to focus on striking down evil to appreciate it when someone else does it. For their part, Justicars are typically cordial to other faiths and avoid interfering with them or stepping on their toes whenever it's reasonable to do so.

Governments are usually leery of trying to control Justicars. In settings where they're known to exist, most governments realize that trying to stop a proven Justicar from acting as they see fit is likely to turn suspicion on them. A Justicar is not a mere do-gooder or vigilante - he is an elite holy warrior blessed with sacred power, and his pursuit of evil means that only those who are themselves wicked have cause to be afraid. The most common response is to treat the Justicar as any other visitor to the area and look the other way if they happen to get into a brawl or break up a criminal organization. Bothering them - or worse, offending their whole church - isn't worth the trouble. Justicars' ability to summon gear from nothing is also well-known, so they're rarely even asked to get rid of their arms or armor. Some governments go half a step further and invite the Justicar to call on the local authorities for support if needed. It generally isn't, but the offer is considered polite.

(This holds true even for many evil governments - at least those that aren't interested in trying to kill the Justicar on sight. Like Paladins, Justicars typically acknowledge and follow local laws, though they won't obey any law that demands they violate their other oaths. For evil rulers, it's better to ignore them and hope they go away than it is to provoke them and bring their wrath down upon you. It is more common to have someone follow the Justicar and keep tabs on them - this is usually tolerated by the Justicar as long as the follower doesn't cause trouble.)

Despite their considerable power, Justicars often find and work with a small team of companions - usually good-aligned and occasionally just lawful or neutral. Justicars know that some situations are hard to resolve alone and companions often bring useful talents or knowledge that the Justicar lacks. Recognizing that diversity can be valuable in its own right, Justicars do not try to force their strict views onto others (though they may politely decline to participate in a plan that goes against their oaths, such as disguising themselves to interrogate a criminal leader). Justicars naturally gravitate towards a leadership role, but are not above acting in a support capacity if they believe someone else is more appropriate. Most Justicars prefer a clear hierarchy of authority, though Neutral Good Justicars occasionally lean towards a more democratic approach for most decisions. (In keeping with their appreciation for the value of diversity, Justicars are usually willing to consider other people's suggested resolutions to a problem - though Justicars still tend to be firm when it comes to helping people, slaying evil, or upholding their oaths.)

While Justicars are usually crusading against evil, they may take a break from directly assaulting strongholds of wickedness to join in other adventures. This is almost always at the direction of their deity, who the Justicar assumes knows more about the situation than they do and is probably setting them up to take down an evil they might not otherwise be aware of. In other words, while the reason for their journey may not be obvious or explained at first, Justicars believe there is a reason and can demonstrate considerable patience while waiting to find out what it is. This won't stop them from trying to do good as they can, but it does mean that Justicars can stay with an adventuring group much longer than most outsiders would expect (as long as that group isn't committing evil acts, at least - a little chaos, on the other hand, is sometimes needed to further the cause of good).

Justicars frequently use gear emblazoned with the holy symbol of their deity. Not all Justicars use these for casting, but as bold proclaimers of their faith, they have no reason to hide what they believe.

Justicars who have access to martial talents beyond the Warleader Sphere often utilize the Guardian and Shield spheres to make themselves even more durable. Some also use the Berserker sphere to gain temporary hit points and further endure the blows of their foes.

Outside of martial abilities, Justicars also continue to gain casting progression in one divine spellcasting class they had prior to becoming a Justicar. This adds a layer of flexibility to their existing martial skills. However, a Justicar cannot progress past a previous class' 15th-level spellcasting abilities - this is an intentional limit on the Justicar's considerable power. The relatively low cap on casting power means that a Justicar's spells are most effective when used on themselves or allies and aren't as affected by caster level - their save DC's will be comparatively low, so offensive talents will be harder to use. The Life sphere is particularly good for this class and thematically appropriate for Justicars; many of its effects have little or no reliance on caster level and it can help the Justicar survive the most arduous challenges. The Bless and Curse talents of the Fate sphere are also helpful at any caster level and can help represent a warrior whose determination twists fate itself towards good. The War sphere is also a popular choice, particularly when they're serving as leaders. Finally, Justicars often learn teleport-blocking abilities (such as the Plane Manipulator talent of the Warp sphere) to stop infernal enemies from fleeing.

A Justicar's skills depend on their background. Many Justicars are especially adept with Diplomacy, Knowledge (religion), Perception, and Sense Motive. Unlike some classes, certain skills are barred to them - including Bluff. Some Justicars learn to Intimidate evil, but most see no point in showing off when plunging a blade into an evil creature's chest is usually a better solution. Justicars often move in high social circles - indeed, their status alone may garner invitations to events held by nobles - so they usually learn at least a little Knowledge (nobility) to avoid being disrespectful. Ride and Survival are also fairly common.

Several of the Justicar's abilities are purely supernatural in nature, even when duplicating spell or sphere effects. This means that some anti-magic measures (such as counterspelling or detecting casting) do not work on them and they are unaffected by things like casting traditions. When these effects are passive, others may not even realize the Justicar has done something.

The alternate Justicar gains full base attack bonus, full caster level progression (to a limit), a set of martial talents, and class abilities. In gestalt games, it is appropriate to require this class to take both "sides" of the gestalt.

Requirements

To qualify to become a Justicar, a character must fulfill all of the following criteria.

Class: A Justicar must have at least 3 paladin levels and may not be an ex-paladin. In addition, the PC must have taken his most recent level as a paladin prior to becoming a Justicar. Thus a person who takes 3 levels of paladin and then 7 levels of cleric cannot be a Justicar, though a person who has taken 7 levels of cleric and then 3 levels of paladin could be a Justicar.
Alternate Class Requirements: A Justicar may also come from any Spherecasting class with full BAB and a divine casting tradition (such as a Mageknight using the Divine Petitioner casting tradition). At the GM's discretion, classes from other systems may qualify as long as they fulfill the general concept of a warrior using divine magic. However, they must have at least one level in a class that grants spellcasting or a spellcasting-like power.
Deity: Usually the Goddess of Paladins (or the setting's closest equivalent); must be a Lawful Good or Neutral Good deity
Skills: Knowledge (religion) 8 ranks, Sense Motive 2 ranks, Diplomacy 2 ranks.
Quest: A Justicar-to-be must complete an arduous quest of some significance to the goddess of paladins to demonstrate his worth before he may be ordained (see below). This quest should involve at least one challenge that is CR+3 for both the Justicar-to-be's level and the average party level. This quest could include things like destroying the lair of a major villain (along with said villain), retrieving a holy relic (for use in the ordination ceremony), or any other difficult challenge suitable for your setting.
Ordination: This is the most difficult of the requirements to become a Justicar. A Justicar must be ordained by a person with the power to ordain Justicars. This power is only held by clerics of the goddess of paladins of 13th level or higher and clerics of other lawful good deities of 16th level or higher. Once the Justicar-to-be proves himself worthy by a quest (see above), the ordaining priest must cast bless, zone of truth, prayer, discern lies, mark of justice, righteous might, and holy word upon the Justicar-to-be. If using an alternative casting system, such as Spheres of Power, the cleric must cast the closest available spells or spell-like powers in that system. (In Spherecasting, this is usually done through Rituals.) This ordination ritual also requires the presence of a significant holy relic of the goddess of paladins (not just a holy symbol or shrine - at the very least, the relic should have a name and a history). Ordination should be a difficult and arduous process. A PC should not be allowed to become a Justicar simply because he meets the other prerequisites, and indeed, they may spend several levels working towards this rank. For the purposes of ordination, a cleric is any formal member of a clergy (regardless of the size or popularity of the church) that receives magic from their deity; they do not actually have to have the cleric class, though that is helpful for casting the necessary spells. A Justicar-to-be cannot conduct their own ordination, though avatars or outsider servants of the goddess of paladins have been known to serve in the role when no acceptable clerics exist.

Alignment

Lawful Good or Neutral Good.

Hit Die

d10

Skill Ranks

2 + Int modifier

Wiki Note

The following is a modified version of the Justicar prestige class from Frog God Games. This modification was created by the Wiki to account for some of the changes in the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game after the Justicar Prestige Class was published. It is somewhat more powerful and less restricted than the normal Justicar Prestige Class; among other things, it gains access to some talents from Spheres of Might. This is not official Spheres content and it was not created or endorsed by Drop Dead Studios.

Justicars In A Setting

Justicars are typically famous within their church and usually become well-known in surrounding areas soon after their ordination. Justicars almost never attempt to hide who they are or what they believe, regardless of where they travel - if evil forces take notice of them and come to attack, that makes it all the easier to slay the wicked. Where lesser warriors might hesitate to become bait in such a way, Justicars see it as a chance to distract evil from harming others and put a stop to nefarious plans.

Arms and Armor

A Justicar's choice of arms and armor is frequently dependent on their life before entering this class and many prefer to use the same gear as before (enhancing it with new power as they grow in levels and the situation demands). Most Justicars prefer to use a one-handed weapon (usually the bastard sword), leaving the other free to use or summon a shield, but some break from this tradition and use another weapon entirely. The Justicar's Sword of Courage ability can enhance any weapon they wield - or summon forth an entirely new one if they've lost their gear - so they remain fairly flexible. Armor-wise, Justicars typically wear medium or heavy armor. While not always the most agile combatants, they are usually tough enough to break the blows of their enemies before smiting them down.

Power and Playstyle

Justicars are leaders and front-line warriors. This version of the Justicar gains access to (and quite a few talents in) the Warleader Sphere, which allows them to use shouts and tactics to direct and buff allies. Even without drawing their weapon, Justicars can have significant influence on a battle. Most Justicars will use Tactics more often than Shouts because Tactics have a lower action cost and won't stop the Justicar from attacking. Justicars are highly effective against evil creatures and especially powerful against evil undead and evil outsiders (such as demons and devils); with a much higher critical threat range against them and numerous powers that work specifically on evil foes, Justicars are likely to crush most evil creatures near their CR. This is intentional - as elite holy warriors, Justicars are difficult for evil creatures to defeat with anything less than overwhelming force. However, this specialization can also be a drawback. Justicars have far fewer options against neutral and good creatures, and while still likely to be reasonably effective combatants, Justicars cannot cut through non-evil foes anywhere near as well as they can dice evil enemies.

Suggestions for GMs

While Justicars are extremely effective against evil foes (particularly undead and outsiders), they are usually not as effective at attacking many enemies at once. To prevent Justicars from overwhelming boss-type enemies right away, consider adding additional minions that the Justicar and the rest of the party must fight their way through. It is appropriate to add at least several additional weaker enemies to any fight against evil creatures when a Justicar is in the party - this, in part, serves to show how seriously evil creatures take the threat of a Justicar and how they're willing to bring in more power whenever they can. The nature of a Justicar means that it's very easy for villainous plots to focus on them and alter the course of a campaign, so the rest of the party should be in agreement before allowing any character to take this prestige class. Similarly, they lose significant offensive power against non-evil foes, though they retain many of their defensive options.

Class Progression

Level-by-level Base Attack Bonus, Saving Throws, Special Abilities, and Talents

Level	Base Attack Bonus	Fort Save	Ref Save	Will Save	Special	Caster Level/Spells per Day	Warleader Talents
1	+1	+1	+0	+1	Atonement, celestial companion, enemy of evil, resist illusions, righteous command, zone of truth	+1 level of existing class	1 (+base)
2	+2	+1	+1	+1	Discern lies	+1 level of existing class	2
3	+3	+2	+1	+2	Shield of truth	+1 level of existing class	3
4	+4	+2	+1	+2	Mark of justice (1)	+1 level of existing class	4
5	+5	+3	+2	+3	Immunity to illusions	+1 level of existing class	5
6	+6	+3	+2	+3	Mark of justice (2), scourge of evil, sword of courage	+1 level of existing class	6
7	+7	+4	+2	+4	True seeing	+1 level of existing class	7
8	+8	+4	+3	+4	Armor of honor, mark of justice (3)	+1 level of existing class	8
9	+9	+5	+3	+5	Holy word	+1 level of existing class	9
10	+10	+5	+3	+5	Avatar, demon-bane	+1 level of existing class	10

Class Features

Primary proficiencies, spell pool, casting mechanics, and baseline powers

Class Limitations

Justicars must follow a strict moral code. Failure to follow these rules may result in the PC becoming an ex-Justicar.

Alignment: Lawful Good or Neutral Good. Most Justicars are Lawful Good, but Neutral Good Justicars can exist - regardless of alignment, all Justicars value both the letter and spirit of their chosen codes and personal oaths; anyone who does not cannot become a Justicar in the first place. In addition to the strictures placed on a paladin, a Justicar must live by the following additional limitations.
Reject Property: A Justicar may not own real property — land, buildings or other holdings — nor may he circumvent this by having agents or friends hold such property in his name. Willful disobedience of this principle results in the character becoming an ex-Justicar. Unintentional disobedience (inherited land, for example) must be disposed of as quickly as possible. A gift of land, if rejected, does not constitute disobedience.
Reject Wealth: A Justicar may not use more material wealth for daily life than is required to feed, clothe, and house his person in a modest fashion (usually no more than 100 gp). Willful disobedience of this principle results in the character becoming an ex-Justicar. This does not prevent the Justicar from saving wealth (to, for example, purchase new equipment or donate to a charitable cause the next time they are in a city), but they cannot spend on a lavish life or permit others to do so on their behalf for an extended period. Being offered well-furnished accommodations for a night while traveling is not a violation of this principle, though most Justicars will seek a simpler place to stay. Justicars must pay a fair price for any goods and services they receive unless they are offered by priests of a good deity or as an offering to the Justicar's deity. (Thus, a Justicar cannot accept a free night at an inn even if they just saved the town from a monstrous invasion and the innkeeper is very grateful, but they can accept a free night's stay at a temple of their deity since lodgings are part of the support the church offers to its elite warriors. Justicars typically pay for spells and benefits provided by friendly priests even when they're offered at no charge because they know that the funds will support the church and the overall efforts of goodness.) Spending in compliance with local laws - such as a regulation that travelers must choose inn rooms above a certain level of quality - is not a violation of this tenet. Similarly, spending in costly regions - such as locations where even a modest lifestyle is far more expensive than in most areas - is not a violation.
Reject Material Property: A Justicar may not carry more than his arms and armor, his equipment and gear, equipment for his mount, religious items, and simple clothes for long distances or periods. He may not possess ornamental items unless they are religious items. He may possess and use magical equipment and gear. He may not use potions, scrolls, or similar items unless they were created by followers of a good deity. Having a barred item hidden on you by an enemy, if unwanted, does not constitute disobedience if the Justicar immediately rejects the item once discovered. Similarly, if a Justicar is tricked into using a barred item (such as someone lying to them about who made a potion), they do not need to seek atonement. Merely picking up and moving items a short distance is not a violation of this tenet, nor is moving items a long distance as long as they are acknowledged to be owned by someone else. Thus, if a Justicar's friend has their strength drained and can't carry their own things, a Justicar could carry their friend's possessions for the two weeks it takes to get back to town and find healing. The key factor here is ownership; other people's material property is not a concern unless the Justicar attempts to lay claim to it.
Reject Disguise: As an embodiment of Truth, a Justicar may not thwart truth, regardless how noble the goal. Though he may tolerate it in others, a Justicar will not willingly disguise himself, accept magic intended to conceal or disguise his person or qualities, nor may he use protective magic based on disguise or hidden appearance. He will counsel against his companions using such tactics, though he will not split with persons who are otherwise good-aligned as a result of their use of such tactics. The Justicar simply will not take part in them. Willful disobedience of this principle results in the character becoming an ex-Justicar. Unintentional disobedience (having a disguising spell cast upon you by a friend against your will) requires atonement. Having a disguise or concealment spell cast upon you by an enemy, if unwanted, does not constitute disobedience if the Justicar immediately seeks to undo the disguise. Justicars may alter the appearance of magic items (except their arms and armor) to create a more modest look, though most look for ways to make permanent alterations rather than casting illusions. Modifying the appearance of magical items is not considered an attempt to disguise his qualities.
Reject Falsehood: A Justicar may not lie, regardless of how noble the goal. Lying means active deception. Standing silent or failing to answer a question is not lying. However, if a Justicar fails to answer a question because of an intent to deceive, he must do atonement. Willful disobedience of this principle results in the character becoming an ex-Justicar. Because a Justicar embodies truth, the GM is encouraged to demand the strictest compliance to this principle. A Justicar is only considered to be lying if they are intentionally deceiving someone. Stating something that is incorrect, but that the Justicar sincerely believes to be true and has seen no reasonable evidence to disprove, is not a lie.
Pursuit of Righteousness: Justicars see truth and their other principles as a method of upholding good, but ultimately, good is more important than truth. While strict in their beliefs, the goddess of paladins and the Justicars themselves recognize that there are situations in which the greater good requires violating one or more of their oaths and restrictions. For example, they may gain ownership of property that, if they reject the ownership, will fall into the hands of a tyrant happy to cause innocent people to suffer. Similarly, enemies may try to torment Justicars by attempting to force disguises on them. In situations like these, the Justicar is permitted to violate their normal oaths and restrictions (including their Paladin oaths) without fear of falling or need for atonement as long as they work to resolve the issue in a timely manner and do not attempt to exploit this loophole more than reasonably necessary. As a free action that can be done at any time, a Justicar may commune with their deity and describe a course of action they intend to take. The deity will either acknowledge an acceptable violation of their normal principles or explain an acceptable alternative. Justicars cannot be placed in situations where the only possibility is falling and losing their powers - the goddess of paladins does not permit evil to use sly tactics and clever plans to force such champions of good to fall and she will permit any act that is necessary to resolve the situation. In short, Justicars value the literal word of their oaths, but they value the spirit of their oaths (and the spirit in which those oaths were made) even more. They endeavor to avoid conflict between the letter and spirit of their oaths whenever it is possible to do so, but if given no other reasonable choice, are both permitted and encouraged to choose goodness over all. Minor inconvenience is not enough to trigger this clause - the pursuit of righteousness can only be used when there are no other reasonable choices.

Ex-Justicars: If a Justicar willingly and intentionally violates any of the strictures above (without the Pursuit of Righteousness clause), he becomes an ex-Justicar. He loses all Justicar spells and class features (including the service of the Justicar’s falcon familiar, but not weapon, armor, and shield proficiencies). He may not progress any further in levels as a Justicar, nor can he ever regain his status as a Justicar. The goddess of paladins is a strict and demanding goddess, but also fair and willing to consider extenuating circumstances. Unwilling or unintended violations (such as magical mind control) never cause a Justicar to become an ex-Justicar, though they may require atonement at the GM's discretion. Failure to seek atonement when circumstances reasonably permit may lead to becoming an ex-Justicar. (Typically, this is "before the next time a Justicar leaves an area with an acceptable church", but specific circumstances can change this. Justicars can receive atonement from any priest of a good deity, as detailed in their Atonement ability below.) Justicars who require atonement do not lose any of their spells or class features - for them, it is a message to seek purification, not a restriction on their powers.

Class Skills: The Justicar’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Handle Animal (Cha), Heal (Wis), Knowledge (nobility) (Int), Knowledge (religion) (Int), Profession (Wis), Ride (Dex), Sense Motive (Wis), and Spellcraft (Int). The following skills are prohibited to the Justicar: Bluff, Disguise, Sleight of Hand, and Stealth.

Skill Ranks per level: 4 + Int modifier.

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Weapon and Armor Proficiency

Justicars gain proficiency in the bastard sword as an exotic weapon (allowing it to be wielded one-handed or two-handed).

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Spells per Day

When a Justicar level is gained, the character gains new spells per day as if he had also gained a level in any one divine spellcasting class he belonged to before he added the prestige class. He does not, however, gain other benefits a character of that class would have gained, except for additional spells per day, spells known (if he is a spontaneous caster), and an increased effective level of spellcasting. If a character had more than one spellcasting class before becoming a Justicar, he must decide to which class he adds the new spell level for purposes of determining spells per day. The Justicar may only advance their casting ability from one class they belonged to before becoming a Justicar.

If using an alternative casting system, such as Spheres of Power, the Justicar gains progression (spells/talents/etc. per day, points in a spell pool, and so on) as their chosen casting class. The GM is the final arbiter of what abilities should advance under this ability.

The Justicar cannot increase their effective caster level or spellcasting ability from a class higher than that class' level 15 abilities. For example, if you took eight levels in the Paladin class while using the Sphere Paladin archetype before taking the Justicar class, you could gain 7 (15 maximum - 8 already taken) levels of spell advancement as a Justicar, but would receive no spellcasting advancement from the last three Justicar levels. This limit does not restrict the use of other caster level-improving abilities, such as a sphere staff.

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Ability Modifier

Justicars may choose to use Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma as their Practitioner Modifier and their Caster Ability Modifier for all talents, spell-like abilities, and sphere-like abilities provided by this class.

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Atonement (Sp)

At-will, Justicars may use the Atonement Advanced Fate Talent as a sphere-like ability. They do not need to spend spell points to use this power. Also, if a Justicar requires atonement but has not become an ex-Justicar, their presence allows any priest of a good deity to use the Atonement advanced fate talent on them without spending spell points, regardless of that priest's level, training, or abilities.

For this ability, a priest is any formal member of a church's hierarchy that receives spells from their deity or is permitted to give sermons or other instructions to members of the church. They do not have to possess levels in a spellcasting class (though most do). Novices, trainees, and other student-level members are considered priests if no higher-ranking member of the church is available.

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Celestial Companion (Su)

A Justicar gains a celestial falcon — the holy animal of the goddess of paladins — as a companion per the druid animal companion rules (see “Druid” in Chapter 3 of the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game). The Justicar’s effective druid level is equal to her Justicar plus paladin levels.

Starting Statistics: Size Small; Speed 10 ft., fly 80 ft. (average); AC +1 natural armor; Attack bite (1d4), 2 talons (1d4); Ability Scores Str 10, Dex 17, Con 12, Int 2, Wis 14, Cha 10; Special Attacks smite evil 1/day as a swift action (adds Cha bonus to attack rolls and damage bonus equal to HD against evil foes; smite persists until the target is dead or the celestial falcon rests); Special Qualities darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision, DR and energy resistance per Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Bestiary “Celestial Creature”, SR equal to class level +5

4th-Level Advancement: Ability Scores Str +2, Con +2.

If the goddess of paladins has a different favored animal in your campaign setting, the GM should allow that creature to take the place of the celestial falcon as long as it is statistically similar.

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Enemy of Evil (Su)

A Justicar gains a +2 divine bonus to attack and damage rolls against evil-aligned undead and evil-aligned outsiders. If you do not already possess the Smite Evil ability, you gain the Smite Evil ability as a Paladin equal to your character level. If you already possess the Smite Evil ability, your other class levels (including your Justicar levels) count as levels of the class that gave you Smite Evil for determining its power. This ability only considers a creature's alignment - for example, if a succubus rises to become chaotic good (but retains the evil subtype from being a succubus and detects as evil when their alignment is scanned), Enemy of Evil would not work on them.

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Resist Illusions (Su)

A Justicar gains a +4 divine bonus on Will saves against illusion magic. In addition, Justicars are allowed to save to disbelieve illusions without having to interact with the illusion, even if that is normally required to disbelieve the illusion.

Justicars may also use the Divine Alignment ability of the Divination sphere as a standard action, but only to detect evil. This is a supernatural ability with no spellcasting manifestation and is not treated as a spell for the purpose of interacting with other effects.

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Righteous Command

At 1st level, the Justicar gains the Warleader sphere and one additional talent from the Warleader sphere, as well as the ability to gain and expend Martial Focus. If they already possess the Warleader sphere, they may choose another Warleader talent instead of gaining the base sphere. If they already possess other talents in the Warleader sphere, they may retrain as many of them as they want (including into other spheres they have access to). At 2nd level and every level thereafter, Justicars gain an additional talent from the Warleader sphere.

Whenever the Justicar would gain a Warleader talent from this ability, they may instead choose to gain a feat that improves their ability to use the Warleader Sphere (as long as they meet any prerequisites except for the number of combat spheres known). For example, the Justicar may obtain the Combat Sphere Specialization (Warleader) or Great Focus feats. The GM is the final arbiter of which feats may be selected, but the feats should directly relate to using this sphere. (See Practitioner Feats and Champion Feats for the most likely candidates.)

Justicars do not gain a Martial Tradition (though they do not lose any Martial Tradition already possessed).

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Zone of Truth (Sp)

Once per day plus one additional time per day for every three Justicar levels, a Justicar can cast the Truth talent of the Fate sphere as a sphere-like ability, except it targets all creatures in a radius of 40 feet. The ability functions as if cast by a caster of a level equal to the Justicar’s total character level.

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Discern Lies (Su)

At 2nd level, a Justicar can discern lies as the spell once per day and an additional time per day for every 3 Justicar levels thereafter (2 at 5th, 3 at 8th). The ability functions as if cast by a caster of a level equal to the Justicar’s total character level. This is a supernatural ability and is not treated as a spell for the purpose of interacting with other effects.

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Shield of Truth (Su)

Beginning at 3rd level, a Justicar can invoke the goddess' shield of truth once per day for every two Justicar levels they possess. Invoking this ability either enhances the Justicar’s current shield or temporarily creates a supernatural shield for the Justicar to use. If shield of truth creates a shield, the Justicar is proficient with its use and using it occupies a hand.

The shield has the following abilities: +2 divine truth bonus to AC (if the shield is created, this is the only armor benefit it provides) and becomes a blinding shield (see below), except the blinding effect only affects evil creatures. Each use of shield of truth creates a new shield, allowing it to blind targets twice per use of this ability. In addition, the shield radiates the effects of the Serendipity Fate talent (with the effects of Greater Serendipity) for its duration. These effects stack with any existing effects on the shield (except similar effects; for example, the Shield of Truth cannot add extra uses of Blinding to a shield that already has it).

This ability lasts for 30 minutes. Shield of truth cannot be used in combination with either sword of courage or armor of honor until the Justicar gains the avatar ability. The Justicar may dismiss the shield of truth as a free action.

Blinding: A shield with this ability flashes with a brilliant light up to twice per day upon command of the wielder. Except for the wielder, anyone within 20 feet must make a successful DC 14 Reflex save or be blinded for 1d4 rounds.

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Mark of Justice (Su)

Beginning at 4th level, the Justicar gains the ability to pass holy judgment on others once per day as a standard action and place a Geas (as the Advanced Fate Talent) on a target. The ability functions as if cast by a caster of a level equal to the Justicar’s total character level. At 6th level, this effect gains the powers of the Greater Geas Advanced Talent. At 8th level, it also gains the effects of the Mark of Judgement Advanced Talent.

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Immunity to Illusions (Su)

Beginning at 5th level, a Justicar is immune to all illusions that allow spell resistance (including most effects of the Illusion sphere). A Justicar notes the presence of illusions but recognizes them for what they are and disbelieves them immediately and automatically.

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Scourge of Evil (Su)

At 6th level, a Justicar gains an additional +1 divine bonus to attack and damage rolls and double the normal critical threat range against all evil-aligned creatures (of all types). This ability stacks with the enemy of evil ability and the Improved Critical feat or keen weapon quality if the Justicar has these as well.

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Sword of Courage (Su)

Beginning at 6th level, a Justicar can invoke the goddess' sword of courage once per day for every two Justicar levels they possess. Invoking this ability either enhances the Justicar’s current weapon or temporarily creates a supernatural magical bastard sword for the Justicar to use. The sword gains a +2 divine courage bonus to attack and damage rolls. The sword also becomes a holy weapon (see below) for its duration; if it already possesses the holy quality, it deals an additional 1d6 points of damage against creatures of evil alignment.

In addition, the sword radiates the effects of the Courage powerful charm of the Mind sphere in a 30-foot radius for its duration (caster level equal to the Justicar’s total character level, except that the Justicar does not get the bonus to attack rolls from this effect). This only affects the Justicar and their allies. Characters cannot gain temporary hit points from this effect more than once each time sword of courage is activated.

This ability lasts for 30 minutes. Sword of courage cannot be used in combination with either shield of truth or armor of honor until the Justicar gains the avatar ability. The Justicar may dismiss the sword of courage as a free action.

Holy: A holy weapon is imbued with holy power. This power makes the weapon good-aligned and thus bypasses the corresponding damage reduction. It deals an extra 2d6 points of damage against all creatures of evil alignment. It bestows one permanent negative level on any evil creature attempting to wield it. The negative level remains as long as the weapon is in hand and disappears when the weapon is no longer wielded. This negative level cannot be overcome in any way (including by restoration spells) while the weapon is wielded.

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True Seeing (Su)

Beginning at 7th level, a Justicar can use True Seeing as the Advanced Divination Talent once per day. The ability functions as if cast by a caster of a level equal to the Justicar’s total character level. This is a supernatural power and is not treated as a spell-like or sphere-like ability for the purpose of interactions with any other effect.

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Armor of Honor (Su)

Beginning at 8th level, a Justicar can invoke the goddess' armor of honor once per day for every two Justicar levels they possess. Invoking this ability either enhances the Justicar’s current armor or temporarily creates a suit of magical chainmail around the Justicar. The armor gains a +2 divine honor bonus to AC. The armor also has the qualities of moderate fortification, invulnerability, and spell resistance (15) (see below) for its duration, and the Justicar is considered proficient with the armor they're wearing as long as armor of honor is active. These effects stack with any other effects on the armor, except for similar effects. (For example, if the armor already has spell resistance, armor of honor cannot add it again.)

This ability lasts for 30 minutes. Armor of honor cannot be used in combination with either shield of truth or sword of courage until the Justicar gains the avatar ability. The Justicar may dismiss the armor of honor as a free action.

Fortification: This suit of armor or shield produces a magical force that protects vital areas of the wearer more effectively. When a critical hit or sneak attack is scored on the wearer, there is a chance that the critical hit or sneak attack is negated and damage is instead rolled normally. The chance is 25% for light fortification, 50% for moderate fortification, and 75% for heavy fortification.

Invulnerability: This suit of armor grants the wearer damage reduction 5/magic. Invulnerable armor emits a strong aura of abjuration (and evocation if miracle is used).

Spell Resistance (15): This special ability grants the armor or shield’s wearer the specified amount of spell resistance while the armor or shield is worn.

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Holy Word (Su)

Beginning at 9th level, a Justicar can speak a holy word (as the spell) a number of times per day equal to the Justicar’s casting ability modifier (minimum of once per day). The ability functions as if cast by a caster of a level equal to the Justicar’s total character level. This is a supernatural effect and is not treated as a spell or spell-like ability for the purpose of interaction with other rules.

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Avatar (Su)

At 10th level, a Justicar can use shield of truth, sword of courage, and armor of honor at the same time up to once per week. When all three powers are invoked at the same time (a standard action) it seems as if a spectral figure moves behind them. In combat against evil creatures the figure of the goddess becomes even more apparent. In addition to allowing all three powers to operate in unison, when a Justicar becomes an Avatar he is treated as if under the effects of a greater heroism spell (caster level equal to the Justicar’s total character level) for the duration of the ability. The avatar ability lasts only so long as all three abilities — shield of truth, sword of courage, and armor of honor — are in effect at the same time.

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Demon-bane (Su)

At 10th level, a Justicar becomes an evil-killing machine. His critical threat range is doubled against evil undead and outsiders. This ability stacks with both the scourge of evil ability (see above) and the Improved Critical feat or keen weapon quality if the Justicar has these as well.

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New Feats

Whether your paladin has what it takes to become a virtuous servant of the goddess of paladins or piously and faithfully serves his own deity, he may find the feats below useful in his quest to slaughter evil and bring goodness and law to the land.

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The Goddess of Paladins

Lady of Truth, Virtue, and Paladins

Alignment: Lawful Good

Domains: Law, Glory, Good, Protection, War

Subdomains: Archon, Heroism, Loyalty, Purity, Tactics

Symbol: A red blade against a white background

Garb: Simple white robes

Favored Weapon: Longsword or bastard sword

Form of Worship and Holidays: The Goddess of Paladins is worshiped weekly in sermons where followers are encouraged to uphold truth, compassion, and other virtues. She is often prayed to before battle, especially in armies with a significant number of lawful good followers. Many cultures worshiping her have a festival on or near the longest night of the year to remind people that the light is ever present.

Typical Worshipers: Humans and paladins. Most of the Goddess of Paladin's followers are Lawful Good or Neutral Good - while she accepts Lawful Neutral followers, her explicit focus on virtue as well as truth means true followers generally move towards goodness. That said, her tendency towards uncompromising virtue and expecting the best of people isn't as popular as some churches focused more on forgiveness and welcoming others, which has limited her favor among the people of the world. She tolerates Chaotic Good believers in her church, but does not provide them with spells.

Description: The Goddess of Paladins represents the martial valor needed to make the peaceful and righteous rule of law a reality. She is typically depicted as a female warrior in shining armor, bearing both a blade and a shield. She is noble and righteous, though single-minded of purpose. The tenets of her faith focus on honor, truth, courage, and virtue.

An order known as the Justicars are sworn to her service, and this order of elite Paladins - when present at all - is often at the forefront of battles to protect the world from evil. Known as outstanding commanders and fiendslayers without peer, Justicars are among the deadliest threats to infernal figures and rarely rest for long before moving on to the next battle. Their lives are often short and violent after being ordained into their order, but they would have it no other way… for when they fall in battle, the goddess herself collects their souls and helps them become mighty celestials in their afterlife.

The Goddess of Paladins expects self-sacrifice, humility, charity, and loyalty from her followers. While she does not expect perfection, she does expect her followers to do their best to uphold her teachings at all times, no matter the cost or the challenges they face. Despite her strictness, the Goddess of Paladins is fair - her standards are high because she desires each of her followers to be the best they can be and she constantly encourages them to look for ways to improve themselves.

Among her most important teachings is that people can only be judged by their own deeds - and the wrongdoing of others is no excuse to lower your own standards. However, she recognizes that there are many approaches to good and does not encourage her followers to demand that everyone live by the same strict code they do. Instead, her followers are taught to lead by example and demonstrate what other people could be if they only chose to do so - for loyalty that comes from the heart is the strongest of all.

The Goddess of Paladins particularly hates undead and fiendish outsiders, and she often directs her followers (Justicars, Paladins, Clerics, and others) to strike them down wherever they are found. That said, on the rare occasions that such a creature can overcome its evil nature and turn good (or at least neutral), she is the first to welcome them and demands her followers defend them if they see such an entity under attack.

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New Feats

12 options available

Crippling Smite

Your smite evil attacks are especially deadly to those who would work evil upon the world.

Prerequisites: Smite evil class feature, Cha 17, paladin level 13th.

Benefit: Once per use of your smite evil ability, you may automatically confirm a critical threat against an outsider with the evil subtype, an evil-aligned dragon, or an undead creature. In addition, on this attack you may opt to forgo all the extra damage normally gained from a successful critical hit to instead inflict a –10 penalty to the target’s Dexterity and reduce all its movement speeds by half (to a minimum of 5’). These penalties remain until the target receives magical healing sufficient to remove the damage dealt by the attack. If the penalty reduces the target’s Dexterity to 0, the target is paralyzed and cannot move until the penalty is removed. The penalty applies even if the target is normally immune to ability damage.

Special: Paladin and Justicar levels stack for qualifying for this feat. At the GM's discretion, other 'holy warrior' class levels may also qualify.

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Fear No Evil

Your courage emboldens your allies.

Prerequisites: Aura of courage class feature, Cha 13.

Benefit: Your aura of courage extends for 20 feet. In addition, your allies in range who failed their initial saving throw against a fear effect may attempt a second save as an immediate action after failing the first attempt, even if the ability would not otherwise allow a second saving throw attempt.

Normal: Aura of courage extends to a range of 10 feet.

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Improved Caster

Your spells are more powerful than other paladins of your level.

Prerequisites: Ability to cast paladin spells, Cha 15.

Benefit: Your caster level when casting paladin spells is equal to your paladin level –1. This feat has no effect on the number of spells you may cast per day; that value is still determined as per the table in the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game, and is still modified by your Charisma bonus (if any). Otherwise, all effects dependent upon caster level (duration, range, damage, etc.) are increased based upon your new caster level.

If you have the Sphere Paladin archetype, you count your Paladin level -1 as casting class levels.

Normal: Your caster level is equal to your paladin level –3.

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Improved Celestial Spirit

Your divine bond with a celestial spirit has a longer-lasting effect on your weapon.

Prerequisites: Divine bond class feature with the celestial spirit option, Cha 13.

Benefit: When you call a celestial spirit to bond with your weapon, the spirit remains for an additional number of minutes equal to your Charisma bonus. All other effects and benefits of the divine bond class feature remain the same.

Normal: Your divine bond lasts for 1 minute per paladin level.

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Improved Divine Bond

Your celestial spirit allows you to improve your weapon beyond that of normal mortals.

Prerequisites: Divine bond class feature with the celestial spirit option, Cha 13, paladin level 18th.

Benefit: You are no longer limited to a +5 enhancement bonus when improving your weapon with your celestial spirit, and may now grant your weapon up to a total of a +7 enhancement bonus. If you opt to improve your weapon above +5, it overcomes Epic damage reduction.

Normal: You cannot improve a weapon above a +5 enhancement bonus.

Special: Paladin and Justicar levels stack for qualifying for this feat.

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Quick Hands

You’re capable of using your lay on hands ability faster than normal.

Prerequisites: Lay on hands class feature, Wis 13, Cha 13, Extra Lay on Hands, paladin level 6th.

Benefit: You can sacrifice 2d6 healing from your lay on hands ability to use it as a move action instead of a standard action. You only gain this benefit when using lay on hands to heal an ally; damaging an undead creature still requires a standard action. In addition, the paladin may still heal himself as a swift action.

Special: Paladin and Justicar levels stack for qualifying for this feat.

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Resolute Mount

Your mount is the embodiment of Law.

Prerequisites: Divine bond class feature with the mount option, paladin level 13th.

Benefit: Your mount gains the benefits of the resolute simple template (Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Bestiary 2) in addition to the celestial template.

Special: Paladin and Justicar levels stack for qualifying for this feat.

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Sacred Falcon

Your celestial falcon is blessed with additional abilities.

Prerequisites: Celestial companion class feature, Cha 13, Justicar level 2nd.

Benefit: Your celestial falcon companion gains a +2 sacred bonus to its Dexterity. In addition, it gains Iron Will as a bonus feat.

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Spirit of the Bear

Your celestial mount is stronger than others.

Prerequisites: Divine bond class feature with the mount option, Cha 15.

Benefit: Your mount gained from your divine bond class feature gains a +4 sacred bonus to its Strength score.

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Spirit of the Ox

Your celestial mount is tougher than others.

Prerequisites: Divine bond class feature with the mount option, Cha 15.

Benefit: Your celestial mount gains Toughness as a bonus feat. If your mount already has the Toughness feat, it gains no other benefit.

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Spirit of the Wind

Your celestial mount is more nimble and faster than others of its kind.

Prerequisites: Divine bond class feature with the mount option, Cha 15.

Benefit: Your mount gained from your divine bond class feature gains a +2 sacred bonus to its Dexterity score. In addition, its movement speed is increased by 10 feet.

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Strengthened Resolve

Your allies benefit from your enhanced resolve.

Prerequisites: Aura of resolve class feature, Cha 13.

Benefit: Your aura of resolve extends 20 feet. In addition, your allies gain a morale bonus on saving throws against charm effects equal to 4 plus your Charisma modifier.

Normal: Aura of resolve extends 10 feet and grants a +4 morale bonus.

If your campaign does not have another appropriate deity, use the Goddess of Paladins to represent the patron of Justicars. If your campaign does have an appropriate deity, replace all mentions of the Goddess of Paladins in the description above with text more appropriate for your deity.

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