Gray GuardBaseAttackFortRefWillSpells per DayLevelBonusSaveSaveSaveSpecial1st2nd3rd4th1st+1+2+0+2Aura of good, detect evil, smite 1/day----------------2nd+2+3+0+3Divine Maneuvers, lay on hands----------------3rd+3+3+1+3Aura of courage, divine health, punishment----------------4th+4+4+1+4Smite 2/day0------------5th+5+4+1+4Bane, sacrament of trust1------------6th+6/+1+5+2+5Punishment1------------7th+7/+2+5+2+5Smite 3/day (chaos)10--------8th+8/+3+6+2+6Aura of resolve11--------9th+9/+4+6+3+6Devastating touch21--------10th+10/+5+7+3+7Smite 4/day210----11th+11/+6/+1+7+3+7Unbound justice211----12th+12/+7/+2+8+4+8Punishment221----13th+13/+8/+3+8+4+8Smite 5/day321014th+14/+9/+4+9+4+9Aura of faith321115th+15/+10/+5+9+5+9Sacrament of the true faith, punishment322116th+16/+11/+6/+1+10+5+10smite 6/day (all alignments)332117th+17/+12/+7/+2+10+5+10Aura of righteousness432118th+18/+13/+8/+3+11+6+11Punishment432219th+19/+14/+9/+4+11+6+11Smite 7/day433220th+20/+15/+10/+5+12+6+12Gray champion4433

The typical image of a paladin is a proud knight of noble bearing, resplendent in armor bright as sunlight and bearing a sword shining with the purity of his cause. This archetype, upheld by both idealistic knights and their enemies, has killed countless honorable warriors. Taking a cue from the enemies of their faith, many good-aligned religions have established secretive orders of the most dedicated and hardened soldiers. These gray guards are less restrained by their knightly vows, doing what must be done, no matter how unpleasant.Role: The gray guard prefers to do battle as a paladin on the field of honor, judging an opponent by his actions. But if the only chance or choice he has is to assassinate a powerful evil creature by knifing it in an alley in a mugging gone bad, he does it without qualms. His tactics must change to fit the fight.Alignment: Lawful Good.Hit Die: d10.

CLASS SKILLSThe gray guards class skills are Bluff (Cha), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Disguise (Cha), Handle Animal (Cha), Heal (Wis), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (religion)(Int), Profession (Wis), Ride (Dex), Sense Motive (Wis), and Spellcraft (Int).Skill Ranks per Level: 2 + Int modifier.

CLASS FEATURESAll of the following are class features of the gray guard.Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Gray guards are proficient with all simple and martial weapons, with all types of armor (heavy, medium, and light), and with shields (except tower shields).Aura of Good (Ex): The power of a gray guards aura of good (see the detect good spell) is equal to his paladin level.Detect Evil (Sp): At will, a gray guard can use detect evil, as the spell. A gray guard can, as a move action, concentrate on a single item or individual within 60 feet and determine if it is evil, learning the strength of its aura as if having studied it for 3 rounds. While focusing on one individual or object, the paladin does not detect evil in any other object or individual within the range.Smite: Once per day, a gray guard can call out to the powers of good to aid him in his struggle against evil. As a swift action, the gray guard chooses one target within sight to smite. If this target is evil, the gray guard adds his Cha bonus (if any) to his attack rolls and adds his paladin level to all damage rolls made against the target of his smite. If the target of smite is an outsider with the evil subtype, and evil-aligned dragon, or an undead creature, the bonus to damage on the first successful attack increases to 2 points of damager per level the gray guard possesses. Regardless of the target, smite attacks automatically bypass any DR the creature might possess.In addition, while smite is in effect, the gray guard gains a deflection bonus equal to his Charisma modifier (if any) to his AC against attacks made by the target of the smite. If the gray guard targets a creature that is not evil, the smite is wasted with no effect.The smite effect remains until the target of the smite is dead or the next time the gray guard rests and regains his uses of this ability. At 4th level, and at every three levels thereafter, the gray guard may smite one additional time per day, as indicated on the Gray Guard Table, to a maximum of seven times per day at 19th levelStarting at 7th level, the gray guard learns that suffering and injustice are not the exclusive province of evil. He may use his smite ability to instead punish creatures of chaotic alignment. The gray guard must decide which alignment he is choosing to smite when declaring the target of the smite. If he accidently smites a creature of an alignment other than that declared, the smite has no effect but a use of the smite ability is still used.At 16th level, this ability expands to all alignments, allowing the gray guard to include lawful and good creatures as targets for his smite. The gray guard must still declare which alignment to smite before declaring it on a target. If the target is not of the chosen alignment, then the smite has no effect and a use of this ability is still expended.Divine Maneuvers (Su): At 2nd level, a gray guard gains a bonus equal to her Charisma bonus (if any) to his Combat Maneuver Bonus and Combat Maneuver Defense.Lay on Hands: Beginning at 2nd level, a gray guard can heal wounds (his own or those of others) by touch. Each day he can use this ability a number of times equal to 1/2 his gray guard level plus his Charisma modifier. With one use of this ability, the gray guard can heal 1d6 hit points of damage for every two gray guard levels he possess. Using this ability is a standard action, unless the gray guard targets himself, in which case it is a swift action. Despite the name of this ability, a gray guard only needs on free hand to use this ability.Alternatively, a gray guard can use this healing power to deal damage to undead creatures, dealing 1d6 points of damage for every two level the gray guard possesses. Using lay on hands in this way requires a successful melee touch attack and doesnt provoke an attack of opportunity. Undead do not receive a saving throw against this damage.Aura of Courage (Su): At 3rd level, a gray guard is immune to fear (magical or otherwise). Each ally within 10 feet of him gains a +4 morale bonus on saving throws against fear effects. This ability functions only while the gray guard is conscious, not if he is unconscious or dead.Divine Health (Ex): At 3rd level, a gray guard is immune to all diseases, including supernatural and magical diseases, including mummy rot.Punishment (Su): At 3rd level, and every three levels thereafter, a gray guard can select one punishment. Each punishment adds an effect to the gray guards smite ability. Whenever the gray guard uses smite to deal damage to a target, he may forgo the extra damage granted by his smite ability and instead apply the effects of all his chosen punishments. The gray guard must still make a successful attack and the target receives no saving throw. Choosing to use punishment causes the smite effect to end immediately after the attack is made, whether it hits or misses. The target is affected by the punishment for a 1 round plus an additional round per point of Charisma bonus the gray guard possesses (minimum 0).At 3rd level, the gray guard can select from the following initial punishments.Fatigued

Shaken

Sickened

At 6th level, a gray guards adds the following punishments to the list of those that can be selected.Dazed

Staggered

Prone

At 9th level, a gray guard adds the following punishments to the list of those that can be selected.Exhausted

Frightened

Nauseated

At 12th level, a gray guard adds the following punishments to the list of those that can be selected.Blinded

Deafened

Paralyzed

Stunned

These abilities are cumulative with similar effects. For example, a gray guard who uses choses to use his punishment ability to apply the shaken condition to an already shaken target will cause that target to become frightened instead.Spells: Beginning at 4th level, a gray guard gains the ability to cast a small number of divine spells which are drawn from the paladin spell list. A gray guard must choose and prepare his spells in advance.To prepare or cast a spell, a gray guard must have a Charisma score equal to at least 10 + the spell level. The Difficulty Class for a saving throw against a gray guards spell is 10 + the spell level + the gray guards Charisma modifier.Like other spellcasters, a gray guard can cast only a certain number of spells of each spell level per day. Her base daily spell allotment is given on the Gray Guard Table. In addition, he receives bonus spell per day if he has a high Charisma score. When the Gray Guard Table indicates the the gray guard gets 0 spell per day of a given level, he gains only the bonus spells he would be entitled to based on his Charisma score for that spell level.A gray guard must spend 1 hour each day in quiet prayer and meditation to regain his daily allotment of spells. A gray guard may prepare and cast any spell on the paladin spell list, provided that he can cast spells of that level, but he must choose which spells to prepare during his daily meditation.Through 3rd level, a gray guard has no caster level. At 4th level and higher, his caster level is equal to his paladin level -3.Bane (Su): At 5th level, a gray guard can imbue one of his weapons with the bane weapon special ability as a swift action. He must select one creature type when he uses this ability (and a subtype if the creature type selected is humanoid or outsider). Once selected, the type can be changed as a swift action. This ability only functions while the gray guard wields the weapon. If dropped or taken, the weapon resumes granting this ability if it is returned to the gray guard before the duration expires. This ability lasts for a number of rounds per day equal to the gray guards level. These rounds do not need to be consecutive.Sacrament of Trust (Ex): At 5th level, the gray guard takes up a vow of allegiance to his faith beyond that of the standard paladins oath. This vow grants the gray guard a measure of freedom to act on his causes behalf without fear of retribution should his duties require him to break his code of conduct. Dishonorable acts still cause the gray guard to lose his gray guard class features until his atones, but this infraction is considered must less severe than it would be for a paladin or gray guard of a lower level.Thus, whenever a gray guard seeks to atone for deeds that he willingly committed in the name of his faith but that breaks his code of conduct, a cleric casting an atonement spell on his behalf does not expend 500 XP as is normally required. This reprieve applies only to acts intended to further the cause of righteousness and the gray guards faith. No XP cost applies to a gray guard atoning after beating a confession from a heretic, for example, but the cost would still have to be paid for one who started a bar room brawl for fun.Aura of Resolve (Su): At 8th level, a gray guard is immune to charm spells and spell-like abilities. Each ally within 10 feet of him gains a +4 morale bonus on saving throws against charm effects.This ability functions only while the gray guard is conscious, not if he is unconscious or dead.Devastating Touch (Su): At 9th level, the gray guard learns to channel his lay on hands ability into a damaging effect (like that used on undead) which targets living creatures. This gray guard must succeed on a touch attack against his target. The target may make a Will save (DC = 10 + 1/2 the gray guards level + the gray guards Cha modifier) to take half damage.Unbound Justice (Ex): At 11th level, unrestricted by his code of honor, the gray guard can employ unorthodox methods that are all the more effective because they are unexpected. The gray guard adds half his level as a competence bonus on Bluff, Disguise, and Intimidate skill checks while in the service of greater good.Aura of Faith (Su): At 14th level, a gray guard can expend two uses of his smite ability to grant the ability to smite to all allies within 10 feet, using his bonuses. Allies must use this smite ability by the start of the gray guards next turn and the bonuses last for 1 minute. Using this ability is a free action. The gray guard must decide which alignment he is granting he is granting his allies the ability to smite when using this ability. Creatures of the chosen smite alignment gain no benefit from this ability. (A gray guard granting his allies the ability to smite chaotic creatures cannot give chaotic creatures the ability to use this particular smite. But another use of this ability to grant allies the ability to smite evil would be granted to chaotic creatures, but not evil creatures).Sacrament of True Faith: At 15th level, a gray guard gains his faiths full confidence. He is granted the freedom to act on behalf of his faith as he deems necessary. Thus, a gray guard never risks losing his class abilities in the pursuit of a just cause and never need to atone for violating his code of conduct.This trust does not grant a gray guard the freedom to act violently or immorally as he wishes, however. Release from a code of conduct depends on the gray guard acting as an exemplar of his orders ideals. If he violates this trust by habitually acting in an immoral or corrupt manner (which would change his alignment from lawful good), the leaders or deity of the gray guards faith might revoke their blessing and banish him from the ranks of the faithful (see Ex-Gray Guards, below).Aura of Righteousness (Su): At 17th level, a gray guard gains DR 5/evil and immunity to compulsion spells and spell-like abilities. Each ally within 10 feet of him gains a +4 morale bonus on saving throws against compulsion effects.This ability functions only while the gray guard is conscious, not if he is unconscious or dead.Gray Champion (Su): At 20th level, a gray guard becomes the arm of his god to punish the enemies of the faith. His DR increases to 10/evil. Whenever he uses smite and successfully strikes an outsider of the chosen alignment, the outsider is subject to a banishment, using his gray guard level as the caster level (his weapon and holy symbol automatically count as objects that the subject hates). After the banishment effect and the damage from the attack is resolved, the smite immediately ends. In addition, whenever he uses lay on hands or devastating touch, he heals or deals the maximum possible amount of damage (creatures can still half the damage from devastating touch with a successful Will save).

Code of ConductA gray guard is held to the same code of conduct as a paladin. He must be of lawful good alignment and must never willingly commit an evil act. He must also pledge to respect legitimate authority, act with honor (not lying cheating, using poison, and the like), aid the needy, and punish those who harm the innocent. If the gray guard contravenes his code of conduct, he must atone for the transgression or lose all class abilities. As he advances in this class, this code becomes more flexible. However, its tenets still apply: You can never break your code without good reason.

Ex-Gray GuardsA gray guard is less at risk of permanently losing his abilities than a paladin is. He might lose them temporarily for committing dishonorable acts, but he is granted clemency for performing such deeds in the name of his faith and can atone more easily. Nevertheless, if he commits unforgivably evil acts (such as slaughtering innocents or despoiling a temple of his faith), take actions that oppose his faiths tenets, or habitually violates his code of conduct, he risks permanent expulsion from the holy order.If at any time a gray guards deity or a jury of his faiths leaders finds him guilty of grossly abusing the freedom of the order, he permanently loses his gray guard class abilities (but not weapon, armor, and shield proficiencies) and can never again advance in this class. Even the atonement spell cannot restore a fallen gray guards abilities after he is exiled.Levels of gray guard are treated as levels of paladin for the purpose of advancing in the antipaladin prestige class.