I always thought the paladin class was kind of bland, vanilla, and boring. Like many others on forums, I shared the opinion that they were just annoying goody two-shoes. That was until I took a moment to actually read their tenets, especially the Oath of the Ancients:
Kindle the Light: Through your acts of mercy, kindness, and forgiveness, kindle the light of hope in the world, beating back despair.
Shelter the Light: Where there is good, beauty, love, and laughter in the world, stand against the wickedness that would swallow it. Where life flourishes, stand against the forces that would render it barren.
Preserve Your Own Light: Delight in song and laughter, in beauty and art. If you allow the light to die in your own heart, you can't preserve it in the world.
Be the Light: Be a glorious beacon for all who live in despair. Let the light of your joy and courage shine forth in all your deeds.
How beautiful is that? I want to follow these tenets in real life.
The paladin class is about working toward an ideal so strong, so unwavering, that it manifests as magic. Maybe my interpretation isn’t perfect, but thinking about a paladin breaking their oath now feels much sadder. How I choose to see it, an oathbreaker is not a person who accidentally broke a tenant but a person that stop believing in the dream of a better future.
