Paizo's blog post "Player Core 2 Preview: The Champion, Remastered":https://paizo.com/community/blog/v5748dyo6uib0?Player-Core-2-Preview-The-Champion-Remaste...
They don’t need to be that though. Honestly for all of 5e’s flaws, I think one thing it does far better is that there is a clear distinction between Clerics and Paladins. Clerics get their power from religion, Paladins get their power from swearing an oath. Religion doesn’t need to be a part of it at all.
Like, if you told me there was a class called “champion” in Pathfinder and I knew nothing else about that class, I would assume it’s the champion of a cause, not of a religion.
I mean, they are religious defenders. Knights Templar and all that. That’s the core concept and fantasy they’re aiming for.
Guardian Sorcerer or Guardian Oracle or something probably fits other concepts better.
They don’t need to be that though. Honestly for all of 5e’s flaws, I think one thing it does far better is that there is a clear distinction between Clerics and Paladins. Clerics get their power from religion, Paladins get their power from swearing an oath. Religion doesn’t need to be a part of it at all.
Like, if you told me there was a class called “champion” in Pathfinder and I knew nothing else about that class, I would assume it’s the champion of a cause, not of a religion.