I don't mean to contradict you, but I think this is an interesting conversation I want to engage in. There's a difference between "being devoted to good" and "following your conscience." By taking up an oath, a paladin, even an Ancients paladin, is deciding to put that oath above their conscience. The oath aligns with your conscence, but that's different from following your conscience. You're following an oath that agrees with it. In a case where an Ancients paladin's conscience diverges from their tenets, they're sworn to follow the tenets before their conscience. HOWEVER, this is all philosophical minutiae. Stuff that I as a massive nerd like to think about. In my opinion, if you were at a table with a reasonable GM, you'd have no problems understanding and playing a paladin.
I fully agree with you about the sword of damoclese issue. As paladins, out characters would know from years of study and consideration what actions would break their oaths The game should help us get on that level as players.
