I think too much focus is given on a paladin's "right" to regulate the behaviors of others when it really isn't that important.
Anyone sufficiently good at fighting and with a willingness to fight can influence the behavior of others, with the bluff swiftly being called in many cases.
Paladin in our setting also have recognized legal and divine approval to the degree that if it is your word vs a (triadic) paladin you're probably SOL.
A bar fight has situations where a paladin could reasonably intervene or not from a RP standard. If a high Lord is visiting things will be more restrictive, and it would be surprising to see a paladin in a seedy bar where they are common.
However, blocking the actions two characters want to take that doesn't have far reaching consequences doesn't contribute to the shared storytelling we're trying to do. As in improv, the general rule is to go along with and react to what is happening without very good reason because it leads to better and more interesting stories.
As far as fearing falling, Jerek's "fallen" for roughly a month as he converted from one deity to another, and it lead to some fantastic RP, and yes, a period he was significantly weaker. It also came with heavy IC consequences and he didn't know if Ilmater would accept him.
In many cases, the paladin shouldn't fear the fall, because what is likely to cause them to fall is not an honest mistake but a cause so great it is worth sacrificing their honor and code for. Breaking their oaths when trying to serve the greater good.
Who should be afraid in that context is not the paladin but anyone and everyone who pissed them off. A paladin's code is not there to protect them, but to limit their capacity for violence and fanaticism. A paladin might try to atone for their actions, or they might feel they're irredeemable and willing to go to any length to fight evil. Such an ex-paladin would be unfettered by honor, law, or even common decency.
A rather more controversial stance that I have is that paladin are not inherently knights. A knight is a feudal title rooted in monarchal authority. Paladin is a religious title rooted in divine authority. A person can be both but they are independent.
Community - Common Paladin Roleplay Mistakes
Re: Community - Common Paladin Roleplay Mistakes
Also, I play Galondel.
Re: Community - Common Paladin Roleplay Mistakes
I don't have anothing to add to this particular discussion, but I wanted to say it's been a great read and food for thought. Debate is always a good thing!
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