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Champions of Valor is for players and Dungeon Masters who want to incorporate great heroism into their campaigns. This is more than simply a list of good deeds and good traits, for a lowly peasant can do good deeds or embody good traits, intentionally or accidentally. The use of the word "valor" in the book title is significant; it means "courage and boldness," "the qualities of a hero," and "exceptional courage when facing danger." Compare these means to the contextual meaning of the word "good;" a thief might be good at picking a pocket, an assassin good at murder, and a blackguard good at cowing his enemies, but none of those things are valorous or heroic. This book is about valorous characters -- those who might be good or in some cases merely neutral, but are great and heroic in facing down the greatest dangers of Faerūn. Most valorous characters are good, but a significant fraction of them are indifferent to good and evil, and a rare few are evil but recognize that some evils must be challenged (even the mad Halaster has battled on Mystra's behalf).

It's worth noting that if you look at the ratio of good, neutral, and evil deities in Faerūn, there are a disproportionate number of good-aligned deities compared to neutral or evil deities. You see this if you compare the thirty fully described deities in the Forgotten RealmsCampaign Setting, or just the greater and intermediate deities of Faerūn, or all the deities described in Chapter 5 of that book: Good-aligned deities outnumber those with a neutral aspect, and they outnumber evil deities as well. This means there are more good influences in the world than evil or neutral ones (though the evil ones tend to be more overt and careful in their influence). There are more good-aligned adventurers in Faerūn than neutral or evil ones, not just because of divine influence but because Faerūn calls out for good heroes. From the earliest version of the setting to the latest incarnation, Forgotten Realms books assume that player characters are usually good and will sometimes do things just because it's the right thing to do, not for a reward. However, it is unfair to expect the PCs to always behave this way; part of the enjoyment of playing D&D is seeing your character become more powerful, and when the rewards are lacking it detracts from the experience. One of the goals of this book is to provide DMs ways to motivate valorous characters and reward them in atypical ways.

If you're a DM, use this book for ideas on how to encourage your players to play valorous PCs, create valorous adventures for those PCs, and build a campaign based on heroic deeds. You can even use this material to guide the behavior of your villains and villainous organizations, for one of the pinnacles of valor is challenging your evil opposite with the fate of the world at stake.

If you're a player, this book presents you with new options for your characters, whether you want them to have humble beginnings and aspire to great heroism or be born destined for greatness and aware of it from the very start. Read this book and talk to your DM about what he expects from valorous heroes; this book can help establish common ground so your character doesn't stumble in mid-campaign over conflicting perceptions of what is valorous behavior.

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Introduction: What is the difference between good and valor? Why are there are so many heroes in Faerūn?

Chapter 1: The Valorous Hero has advice for DMs and players about valorous campaigns, valorous challenges, and valorous archetypes by class and race. It addresses the idea of flawed heroes, atonement, and conflict between different kinds of good.

Chapter 2: Character Options details new regions, feats, spells, magic items, and substitution levels tailored for Faerūnian deities and organizations.

Chapter 3: Valorous Organizations covers several valorous organizations, including information on how to join and the benefits of joining each group. Following that are short descriptions of many valorous knighthoods, monk orders, and other organizations.

Chapter 4: Prestige Classes introduces four new prestige classes for valorous heroes, from the Knight of the Flying Hunt to the Triadic Knight.

Chapter 5: Places of Valor gives sample locations associated with good, from a holy temple to the site of a great battle.

Chapter 6: Agents of Good describes several new NPCs and monsters with descriptions and game statistics, suitable for cohorts, allies, or contacts.

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Corrupt Avenger

Born to the sword, the corrupt avenger has experienced firsthand the devastation that violence can cause. He survived, but someone close to him was not so lucky. As a result, he has sworn vengeance against whoever or whatever caused his loss, whether it's a specific individual or every representative of a specific kind of monster. He accepts any cost to have his vengeance, even to the forfeit of his very soul. What does not kill him makes him stronger.

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