Divide 13 points between Truth, Love, Courage, Sword, and Honor. No less than zero, no more than four per stat.
Truth: Mental stat. Wits and brains.
Love: Social stat. Charisma and speech.
Courage: Non-combat physical stat. Athletics and acrobatics.
Sword: Combat stat.
Honor: Fuel for paladin powers.
Choose three one-word powers. Examples are below.
To do anything that runs a risk of failure, roll 3d6, discard one die (your choice), and add your appropriate stat. 10+ succeeds at your task.
THE CATCH: Two of your dice are white. One is black. If the black die is one of your kept dice, gain one Dark.
All paladins have 10 Health. At 0 Health, cross the Black Gate (death).
At 10 Dark, become a Fallen. Fight the paladins.
To use a paladin power, say what you want it to do, spend 1 Honor, and make an appropriate roll (DM's call.)
COMBAT
Opposed Sword rolls to fight, tie goes to the attacker. Successful attacks deal difference plus leftover die in damage.
PURGATION
Permanently lose 1 Honor to remove 1 Dark.
RECOVERY
Honor recovers between scenes. Health recovers with Truth or power.
EXAMPLE PALADIN POWERS
Awe, Challenge, Cure, Litany, Sanctify, Sense, Smite, Ward.
You are questing paladins, dispatched by The Order. Your tools: Sword and round shield. Chain mail and coif. Truth, Love, Courage, and the Light.
Drive back the Dark and defeat the Fallen.
If you desire, to advance your paladin: Roll 1d6 per non-zero stat. Exceed your current value to increase it by 1 (max 6.)
Thanks to /u/pjnick for suggesting the “choose any two” mechanic instead of “use the two best dice.”
Greets to /r/rpg_design, the Coterie (Allen, Adam, Bryan, Chrissy, Cory, Damien, , and Matt), and the Goons.