The paladin warrior does not battle “evil” in the general sense. This prestige class is for those select holy warriors who defend Azeroth from the advance of undead and demons specifically. While the presence of evil is reprehensible to a paladin warrior, destruction and entropy are his true enemies. Above all else, a paladin warrior vows to uphold his faith in the Holy Light. Empowered by the Light, these mighty warriors brandish weapons and holy fire in battle against all who would trample the meek and innocent. Paladin warriors universally belong to the Knights of the Silver Hand.
Initiates must seek out a paladin warrior for training and initiation. Typically, the paladin warrior assigns the supplicant a quest to accomplish that will certainly be a tremendous challenge to achieve.
Height: 7'0"
Weight: 666 lbs (302Kg) (47 Stone)
Eyes: Blue
Hair: Gold
The paladins are the virtuous defenders of the weak and tireless enemies of the undead. Mixing elements of the warrior and the priests of the Holy Light, the paladin is a tough melee fighter. The tradition of the Holy Light is unique to a few of the Alliance races and the blood elves of the Horde.
The paladin is a warrior of the Holy Light. He upholds all that is good and true in the world and reviles all that is evil and sinister — especially undead and the Burning Legion. He offers succor to the beleaguered and smites his enemies with holy fervor. He is particularly potent against undead, as these creatures threaten the goodly races and the Holy Light burns them terribly. The presence of any evil is reprehensible to the paladin, but he focuses his efforts on destroying undead and demons. These warriors uphold the tenets of the Holy Light and defend the Alliance from the predations of the Horde. Found in almost every corner of Azeroth fighting the forces of evil and barbarism, these stalwart warriors of faith ceaselessly uphold their vigil against demonic forces from beyond the Dark Portal. Humans and Ironforge dwarves are the most likely to become paladins, as these races revere the Holy Light. The paladin order, also called the Knights of the Silver Hand, grew out of humanity’s culture, and its greatest heroes and fiercest proponents are humans. Ironforge dwarves possess the toughness needed to withstand the onslaught of the paladins’ many enemies. High elves rarely become paladins. Paladins are the embodiments of goodliness. They help the innocent and punish the wicked. As such, all paladins are of good alignment.
During the Second War, some paladins' eyes glowed with inner power of the Light, such as the paladin Turalyon. This is not the case for all paladins, though it occurs in game with certain paladin armor sets. Some are Retribution Paladins, auradins, or are sun paladins. Some are known as paladin warriors (who sometimes become epic paladin warriors). Some paladins choose to become exemplars, and templars.
The Knights of the Silver Hand was the original paladin order, the Silver Hand was formed in the Second War and was at its height until the time of the Plague. As paladins were immune to the Plague (and indeed all diseases), many members of the order survived the initial push of the Scourge. Unfortunately, the corrupted Arthas Menethil killed many paladins upon his return (including Uther the Lightbringer), leaving only a scattered few. The Order of the Silver Hand still exists but it's only a shadow of its former glory.
Following the invasion of the Scourge, many of the order's paladins joined a zealous group of followers of the Light known as the Scarlet Crusade. After leaving the Crusade, some paladins decided to join the Argent Dawn.
Others fled south, to the Kingdom of Stormwind. The paladin order, still referring to themselves as the Order of the Silver Hand, now thrives under their new leadership at the Cathedral of Light in Stormwind City. Over time, the followers of the Holy Light spread their philosophy to the dwarves of Ironforge who soon adopted the tenets of the order as well.
The Blood Knights are a paladin order within the blood elves. The Vindicators are paladin order within the draenei.
Paladins don't have to be "good" as seen by the Scarlet Crusade and others - however, they do have to believe they are good or have faith in a cause.
The epic paladin warrior shines as a burning fire, a living embodiment of the Holy Light, banishing the shadows of demonic and undead corruption. He stands as a legendary symbol among the good races and champions his party's holy cause. Demons and liches loathe and plot against him, while the Alliance leaders shower him with laurels and praise. He is a living monument of righteousness; his reputation precedes him, and it is a rare individual who will not offer aid based solely on his cause and power.
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