Champion

From PathfinderWiki
Champion
Champion
(Class)

Region
Any
Races
Any
Iconic character
Source: Player Core 2, pg(s). 86
Prior to the publication of Player Core 2, champions used alignment and were restricted to causes based on good and evil.
II.svg

This article covers the Pathfinder Second Edition class. For the First Edition champion mythic path, see champion (mythic path). For the similar First Edition classes, see paladin and antipaladin.

Champions are warriors fully devoted to a deity and cause, from which they draw their religious zeal, divine magic, and prowess in combat, often as hand-to-hand defenders.12 Each champion follows strict edicts and anathema from both their deity and a cause they have chosen to uphold.34

Abilities

The champion Seelah lays hands on Amiri to heal her.

All champions must act in accordance with the edicts and anathema of their deity and cause.567 If a champion's acts are persistently anathematic to their deity, they can lose their powers until they repent and conduct ritual atonement.52

A champion's deity's power grants them special divine spells called devotion spells.58

Deities might sanctify the actions of their champions for one side of the metaphysical war between holy and unholy forces, allow their champions to fight for their ideals without sanctifying in the cosmic conflict, or explicitly prohibit their acts from being sanctified.2

On Golarion

Knights of Lastwall count many champions and other divine followers in their ranks, and the Pathfinder Society's Envoy's Alliance and Vigilant Seal factions both attract champions.9

Notable champions

See also: Category:Champions

Religion

Each champion receives their special powers from a deity and sometimes even a pantheon, though champions of some religions are more common than of others. Champions can gain power from deities only if they share a similar worldview, and every deity has edicts and anathemas their followers must abide by, or risk losing their divine powers.1011

References

For additional as-yet unincorporated sources about this subject, see the Meta page.

  1. Sean K Reynolds. Asmodeus” in Gods and Magic, 6. Paizo Inc., 2008
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 Logan Bonner, et al. “Classes” in Player Core 2, 88. Paizo Inc., 2024
  3. Logan Bonner, et al. “3: Classes” in Core Rulebook, 69. Paizo Inc., 2019
  4. Logan Bonner, et al. “Classes” in Player Core 2, 91. Paizo Inc., 2024
  5. 5.0 5.1 5.2 Logan Bonner, et al. “3: Classes” in Core Rulebook, 105–109. Paizo Inc., 2019
  6. Logan Bonner, et al. “Classes” in Player Core 2, 91–92. Paizo Inc., 2024
  7. The Pathfinder Second Edition Remaster Project eliminated game mechanics for alignment in favor of mechanics for edicts, anathema, holiness, unholiness, and sanctification. Broader concepts of alignment remain in the Pathfinder campaign setting. See Meta:Alignment. As a result, the mechanical causes paladin, redeemer, liberator, tyrant, desecrator, and antipaladin no longer exist as described in Core Rulebook; see Meta:Champion. Remastered works continue to use these terms generically, and presumably independently of any mechanical connotations.
  8. Logan Bonner, et al. “Classes” in Player Core 2, 89. Paizo Inc., 2024
  9. Paizo Inc., et al. Pathfinder Society” in Character Guide, 108–109. Paizo Inc., 2019
  10. Logan Bonner, et al. “2: Tools” in Gamemastery Guide, 128. Paizo Inc., 2020
  11. Logan Bonner, et al. “Classes” in Player Core 2, 88–93. Paizo Inc., 2024