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This week, the paladin comes off the grid with Divine Challenge. many of you have probably seen or heard of this mechanic being exploited in an encounter, but it can also invoke fear of the Gods without ever drawing a sword.
The Paladin
Divine Challenge
Dmitri and Ivan were bound back to back. One cheap candle on the table partially illuminated their captors.
“Where’s princess?” One of the men shouted and struck Ivan across the chin.
Ivan tilted his head to the side and spat blood. He turned his gaze to the closest brigand and shouted. “You’re a brave soul to strike a member of the Church. Raise arms again, and the wrath of heaven will be upon you!”
“Oh, is that right? Well, I’ll just beat it out of your brother. Less wrath then.” The man took a step to the side and buried his boot deep in Dmitri’s gut. To his great surprise, lightning raced up his leg and through his body. There was a flash and then the smell of burnt hair and ozone.
“Actually,” Ivan smirked, “striking an innocent invokes much more wrath. Let us go and I’ll pray you are forgiven.”
The villains traded fearful looks amongst each other. They were loath to interrogate the brothers any further.
As a Paladin, Ivan invoked a Divine Challenge against one of his captors. When the thug struck Dmitri, he violated the paladin’s mark and suffered radiant damage. Luckily for the brothers, the thugs scare easily and probably won’t want to risk angering the Gods once again.
I started Dungeon Mastering with secondhand AD&D materials in 1996 and have run a vast number of D20 campaigns, from cliche' medieval adventures in a kingdom made of Lego bricks to fighting zombies and the mob in the mid 1930s. I try to make the gaming experience as enjoyable, fast-paced, and easy to play as humanly possible. 
I really like this series. It’s neat to see 4e combat mechanics used outside of combat.
I like to see divine challenge, and a few related powers as being a kind of magic hyper charisma. PAY ATTENTION TO ME, backed by the power of the gods.
Just a small quibble. Enemies who receive some sort of condition or effect (like Divine Challenge/Mark/etc) understand the circumstances. So said Thug would have an idea of what’s going on before attacking.
@Rechan I figured the thug to be a rather unfaithful sort. Although he knew he was marked, he wasn’t about to give a second thought to a priest with a sword.
@MarcGraysun I totally agree with you. I’ve done a one shot with a Paladin/Rogue and called him Shaft. ~sigh~ if only bad-assery was a valid damage type.
Another awesome article. I have to say, everytime I read one of these off the grid articles, I’m driven to create and run more adventures. Now, if only work wouldn’t get in the way of that…..
Thanx again for another great idea.
I definitely like it, and could see a lot of uses for Divine Challenge off-the-grid, although regardless of the thug’s faith, Divine Challenge non-verbally makes the target aware of its presence, as in an actual mental warning, “Do not attack anyone else, or else!”
But I could definitely see Divine Challenge invoked as a “shock and awe” tactic.