Cure Diseases
A paladin is not only immune to natural diseases, but can cure such diseases in others. This requires no materials or rituals, merely a touch of the victim with a finger, usually on the forehead, cheek, or hand. Only a moment's contact is necessary, so long as skin touches skin. The cure occurs automatically. The victim may be any human, humanoid, demihuman, or natural animal. A paladin can't cure lycanthropes, undead, or creatures of extraplanar or supernatural origin.
A paladin can use this ability once per week for each five levels of experience (see Table 12). A victim receives no additional benefits from being cured for the same disease more than once; multiple applications won't accelerate recovery or heal damage. However, should the victim succumb to the same disease at some point in the future, a paladin may cure him again.
A paladin may cure any disease. He can't use this ability to heal physical trauma, cure lycanthropy (or most other curses), or neutralize poisons. Mummy rot can be cured with this power. Diseases from wishes, artifacts, gods, or similar sources, however, might not be curable.
Recovery
The victim's recovery begins immediately after the paladin touches him. Recovery time varies from a few minutes to 10 days, depending on the severity of the disease and how long the victim has been suffering. A victim cured of a mild cold or a toothache may recover in a turn. A victim with advanced pneumonia or smallpox may require the full 10 days. The DM decides the recovery period based on these parameters.
A cured victim doesn't automatically recover hit points lost as a result of the disease, but ceases to lose additional hit points. Hit points are recovered at a normal rate, abetted by rest, medicinal or magical treatments, and possibly the paladin's ability of laying on hands (see below). Though the curing alleviates disabling symptoms of the disease (such as headaches associated with a fever or blurred vision from an eye infection), it doesn't correct any physical consequences (such as pockmarks or weight loss).
Table 12: Level Progression of Powers
|
Paladin |
Cure |
Laying On |
||
|
Level |
Diseases* |
Hands** |
Other |
|
|
1 |
1 |
2 |
- |
|
|
2 |
1 |
4 |
- |
|
|
3 |
1 |
6 |
Turn undead |
|
|
4 |
1 |
8 |
Bonded mount |
|
|
5 |
1 |
10 |
- |
|
|
6 |
2 |
12 |
- |
|
|
7 |
2 |
14 |
- |
|
|
8 |
2 |
16 |
- |
|
|
9 |
2 |
18 |
Priest spells |
|
|
10 |
2 |
20 |
- |
|
|
11 |
3 |
22 |
- |
|
|
12 |
3 |
24 |
- |
|
|
13 |
3 |
26 |
- |
|
|
14 |
3 |
28 |
- |
|
|
15 |
3 |
30 |
- |
|
|
16 |
4 |
32 |
- |
|
|
17 |
4 |
34 |
- |
|
|
18 |
4 |
36 |
- |
|
|
19 |
4 |
38 |
- |
|
|
20 |
4 |
40 |
- |
* Times per week.
** Hit points restored.