Grey Knight Paladin

Just when you thought regular Terminators aren't bad enough...

Not to be confused with the more generic Paladin

Grey Knight Paladins are one of the noblest and most elite warriors of the Grey Knights Chapter, who stand watch at the Hall of Champions on Titan. These warriors stand as one of two unique brotherhoods within the Grey Knights, the other being the Purifier. Where Purifiers serve as spiritual hearts of the Chapter, the Paladins act as the Grey Knights' martial champions. Typically, their primary role is to serve as bodyguards to the Grand Masters though they are commonly assigned to the Brotherhoods, where they benefit the latter with their skills and experience which can turn the tide in a desperate battle.

Overview

Membership is only accomplished if the aspirant manages to complete eight quests to establish his character; simple bravery or skill are not enough to prove the aspirant's worth. To begin these trials, the aspirant must spend a day and night in the haunted caverns beneath Mount Anarch without losing their sanity or sense of purpose. If they endure, they must then match their will against the evil within the Abbiallach tome located in the Sanctum Sanctorum. With their mental fortitude tested, they must then prove their strength of arms by taking part in a pilgrimage to Lansel's Tomb on the doomed moon of Tethys. They must do so without their armour to preserve them against the warp-spawned beasts trapped there. Their mission during this time is to kill each of the four types of Daemon Herald in the service of the Chaos Gods and return with some proof of the creature's demise, such as a horn or tooth. The four following quests are each more grueling than the last, the final task being the most difficult of them all. In the final quest, the aspirant must hunt down and banish one of the 666 most powerful Daemons to ever manifest in the material realm. This they must do with only a Nemesis Force Weapon and the creature's true name, taken from the Iron Grimoire. Completion of this task allows the candidate to ascend to the rank of Paladin.

After the completion of these trials, the newly risen Paladin takes part in a victorious feast at night whereupon they must leave their Brotherhood in order to reside within the hallowed halls of the Paladins. Their elevation means that they are not only bound in service to the Chapter but to one of the Grand Masters, to whom they serve as bodyguard, champion, and advisor. As such, the Paladins will always be located in that part of the battlefield where the fighting is thickest and where the greatest peril resides. In addition, Paladin squads are charged with the protection of any Apothecary that comes to the warzone as their important role means that they deserve the best guardians among the Grey Knights. Also, all Paladins are on-track for promotion to Captain.

While the trial to become a Paladin may sound like it came out of a 1980's RPG videogame, their status as bodyguards are without question, deadly and professional. Each and everyone of them is equipped with a suit of Aegis Terminator Armour, Storm Bolter, Nemesis Force Sword, Nemesis Force Halberd, Frag Grenades, Krak Grenades and Psyk-Out Grenades. They also carry the Liber Daemonicum in front of his Aegis chest piece. That Inquisitorial logo on his chest-piece is actually the container of where he stores his booklet. Additionally Paladins are masters at Hammerhand and Holocaust (No not the one you're thinking) which the Paladins are able to conjure a searing ball of white-hot flame, purging the foe from the field of battle with the cleansing flames of righteousness.

As of 8th edition, Paladins are to Terminators what Terminators are to normal Space Marines. With 3 wounds, 2+ WS on the sergeant, and 3 attacks, along with a psychic power, Smite, and the full arsenal of the Grey Knights infantry as gear options, they are a truly elite fighting force (reflected in their astronomical points cost). They're also a surprisingly economical unit. One box of 5 Grey Knight Terminators can be run as 5 Terminators, 5 Paladins, or 3 Paladins, a Paladin Ancient, and a Grey Knight Apothecary, replete with plenty of customization options to give your squad plenty of unique flair.