Champions of Valor Excerpt
By Thomas M. Reid and Sean K. Reynolds

Expand the boundaries of your valiant character with the Forgotten RealmsChampions of Valor supplement. The counterpart to Champions of Ruin, Champions of Valor covers what it means to be valorous in the Realms. Not only can you find out more about several good-aligned guilds and organizations that characters can join, but you also can add the benefits for joining to your game. Additionally, the book provides you with an array of new spells, feats, and prestige classes appropriate for heroes of valor. The excerpts below include information on several character options, a prestige class, and some items. For text from the Introduction, check out the October 2005 Preview.

• Table of Contents and What You Need to Play
• Valiant Hero Archetypes(from Chapter 1: The Valorous Hero)
• Valorous Racial Archetypes(from Chapter 1: The Valorous Hero)
• Secret Moondancer(from Chapter 2: Character Options)
• Faith Token(from Chapter 2: Character Options)
• Substitution Levels (from Chapter 2: Character Options)
• Eternal Order (Paladin)(from Chapter 2: Character Options)
• Knight of the Flying Hunt(from Chapter 3: Valorous Organizations)
• Storm Armor(from Chapter 2: Character Options)

Eternal Order (Paladin)

The primary duty of the Knights of the Eternal Order -- Kelemvor's main order of paladins -- is to hunt and destroy powerful undead. They develop powerful undead-fighting powers by sacrificing other paladin abilities.

Hit Die: d10.

REQUIREMENTS

To take an Eternal Order substitution level, a character must have Kelemvor as her patron deity and be about to take her 1st, 3rd, or 6th level of paladin.

CLASS SKILLS

Eternal Order substitution levels have the class skills of the standard paladin class.

Skill Points at Each Level: 2 + Int modifier.

TABLE 2-8: ETERNAL ORDER SUBSTITUTION LEVELS

CLASS FEATURES

All of the following are features of the Eternal Order substitution levels.

Corpsestrike (Su): An Eternal Order paladin can, as a swift action, surround her weapon with a visible gray aura of holy power that sheds light equal to a candle. Any weapon so affected can ignore any damage reduction (other than DR #/epic) possessed by an undead creature, regardless of its source. This aura lasts for a number of minutes equal to the paladin's class level.

This benefit replaces the standard paladin's smite evil class feature. Any time an Eternal Order paladin would later gain an extra smite evil attempt (such as at 5th level), she can instead use this ability one extra time per day.

Undead Knowledge (Ex): Each time an Eternal Order substitution level is taken, the character gains a cumulative +2 competence bonus on Knowledge (religion) checks concerning undead.

Eternal Vigor (Ex): Beginning at 3rd level, an Eternal Order paladin can ignore the effects of negative levels bestowed upon her by an undead creature.

This benefit replaces the standard paladin's divine health class feature.

Greater Turning (Su): At 6th level, an Eternal Order paladin gains the ability to perform a greater turning once per day in place of a regular turning, just as if she had access to the Sun domain.

This benefit replaces the standard paladin's remove disease class feature normally gained at 6th level. At any level where a standard paladin gains an extra daily use of remove disease, an Eternal Order paladin instead gains another daily use of her greater turning ability.

• Table of Contents and What You Need to Play
• Valiant Hero Archetypes(from Chapter 1: The Valorous Hero)
• Valorous Racial Archetypes(from Chapter 1: The Valorous Hero)
• Secret Moondancer(from Chapter 2: Character Options)
• Faith Token(from Chapter 2: Character Options)
• Substitution Levels (from Chapter 2: Character Options)
• Eternal Order (Paladin)(from Chapter 2: Character Options)
• Knight of the Flying Hunt(from Chapter 3: Valorous Organizations)
• Storm Armor(from Chapter 2: Character Options)