Paladin

Whether sworn before a god's altar and the witness of a priest, in a sacred glade before nature spirits and fey beings, or in a moment of desperation and grief with the dead as the only witness, a paladin's oath is a powerful bond.

A Paladin is a Paragon for a cause, ideal, or virtue.

In the grand tapestry of Dungeons & Dragons, the Paladin stands as a paragon of righteousness, embodying the very essence of a sacred oath. These holy warriors are not just soldiers; they are the living, breathing manifestation of a promise made to the cosmos itself—a vow to protect the innocent, vanquish evil, and uphold justice no matter the cost.

When a Paladin swears their sacred oath, they bind themselves to a cause greater than any mortal ambition. Some are driven by a burning desire to right ancient wrongs, while others are compelled by a divine vision, becoming the sword and shield of their deity on the material plane. Each Paladin’s journey is marked by the struggles they face, the enemies they vanquish, and the allies they protect. Their worth is not measured in the number of foes they lay low, but in the lives they save and the hearts they turn toward mercy and justice.

As they progress, Paladins grow in both power and purpose, with their divine abilities reflecting their unwavering commitment to their oath. Whether they choose the path of conquest, redemption, or another sacred duty, each Paladin shapes the world around them, leaving a legacy that echoes through the ages. Their symbols, often displayed proudly on their armor or carried as tokens, are a testament to their unyielding faith and their eternal vigilance against the encroaching darkness.

In the end, a Paladin’s life is one of eternal struggle, not just against the forces of evil, but against their own temptations and flaws. They are heroes forged in the fires of their convictions, ever striving to live up to the lofty ideals they have sworn to uphold. And when they finally lay down their arms, it is with the knowledge that they have done all they could to bring light into a world that so desperately needs it.

The Cause of Righteousness

A paladin swears to uphold justice and righteousness, to stand with the good things of the world against the encroaching darkness, and to hunt the forces of evil wherever they lurk. Different paladins focus on various aspects of the cause of righteousness, but all are bound by the oaths that grant them power to do their sacred work. Although many paladins are devoted to gods of good, a paladin’s power comes as much from a commitment to justice itself as it does from a god.

Paladins train for years to learn the skills of combat, mastering a variety of weapons and armor. Even so, their martial skills are secondary to the magical power they wield: power to heal the sick and injured, to smite the wicked and the undead, and to protect the innocent and those who join them in the fight for justice.

Beyond the Mundane Life

Almost by definition, the life of a paladin is an adventuring life. Unless a lasting injury has taken him or her away from adventuring for a time, every paladin lives on the front lines of the cosmic struggle against evil. Fighters are rare enough among the ranks of the militias and armies of the world, but even fewer people can claim the true calling of a paladin. When they do receive the call, these warriors turn from their former occupations and take up arms to fight evil. Sometimes their oaths lead them into the service of the crown as leaders of elite groups of knights, but even then their loyalty is first to the cause of righteousness, not to crown and country.

Adventuring paladins take their work seriously. A delve into an ancient ruin or dusty crypt can be a quest driven by a higher purpose than the acquisition of treasure. Evil lurks in dungeons and primeval forests, and even the smallest victory against it can tilt the cosmic balance away from oblivion.

Creating a Paladin

The most important aspect of a paladin character is the nature of his or her holy quest. Although the class features related to your oath don’t appear until you reach 3rd level, plan ahead for that choice by reading the oath descriptions at the end of the class. Are you a devoted servant of good, loyal to the gods of justice and honor, a holy knight in shining armor venturing forth to smite evil? Are you a glorious champion of the light, cherishing everything beautiful that stands against the shadow, a knight whose oath descends from traditions older than many of the gods? Or are you an embittered loner sworn to take vengeance on those who have done great evil, sent as an angel of death by the gods or driven by your need for revenge? The Gods of the Multiverse section lists many deities worshiped by paladins throughout the multiverse, such as Torm, Tyr, Heironeous, Paladine, Kiri-Jolith, Dol Arrah, the Silver Flame, Bahamut, Athena, Re-Horakhty, and Heimdall.

How did you experience your call to serve as a paladin? Did you hear a whisper from an unseen god or angel while you were at prayer? Did another paladin sense the potential within you and decide to train you as a squire? Or did some terrible event—the destruction of your home, perhaps—drive you to your quests? Perhaps you stumbled into a sacred grove or a hidden elven enclave and found yourself called to protect all such refuges of goodness and beauty. Or you might have known from your earliest memories that the paladin’s life was your calling, almost as if you had been sent into the world with that purpose stamped on your soul.

As guardians against the forces of wickedness, paladins are rarely of any evil alignment. Most of them walk the paths of charity and justice. Consider how your alignment colors the way you pursue your holy quest and the manner in which you conduct yourself before gods and mortals. Your oath and alignment might be in harmony, or your oath might represent standards of behavior that you have not yet attained.

Paladin: The Eternal Crusader

The path of the Paladin is one of unwavering resolve and sacred duty, a journey where every decision echoes through the realms of gods and men. A Paladin’s life is marked by trials of both the flesh and spirit, where temptation and righteousness are forever at odds. To walk this path is to carry the weight of a divine oath upon one’s shoulders, an oath that shapes their very essence. Below are the tools and challenges that define the eternal crusader.

Temptations: The Shadows of the Soul

Even the most devout Paladins are not immune to the seductive whispers of the world. These temptations are the shadows that trail behind them, threatening to pull them from the righteous path.

d6	Temptation
1	Fury: When your anger is roused, you have trouble thinking straight. You fear you might do something you'll regret.
2	Pride: Your deeds are noteworthy, and no one takes note of them more often than you.
3	Lust: You can't resist an attractive face and a pleasant smile.
4	Envy: You are mindful of what some famous folk have accomplished, and you feel inadequate when your deeds don't compare to theirs.
5	Despair: You consider the great strength of the enemies you must defeat, and at times you see no way to achieve final victory.
6	Greed: Regardless of how much glory and treasure you amass, it's never enough for you.

Nemeses: The Eternal Foe

Every Paladin has an adversary, a dark mirror that opposes their every action. These nemeses are not just enemies; they are the embodiment of the obstacles that challenge a Paladin's resolve and test their commitment to their oath.

d6	Nemesis
1	A mighty orc war chief who threatens to overrun and destroy everything you hold sacred.
2	A fiend or a celestial, the agent of a power of the Outer Planes, who has been charged with corrupting or redeeming you, as appropriate.
3	A dragon whose servants dog your steps.
4	A high priest who sees you as a misguided fool and wants you to abandon your religion.
5	A rival Paladin who trained with you but became an oath-breaker and holds you responsible.
6	A vampire who has sworn revenge against all Paladins after being defeated by one.

Goals: The Paladin’s Quest

A Paladin's journey is often driven by a profound goal that transcends mere survival or conquest. This goal is the beacon that guides their actions and decisions, shaping their destiny.

d6	Goal
1	Peace: You fight so that future generations will not have to.
2	Revenge: Your oath is the vehicle through which you will right an ancient wrong.
3	Duty: You will live up to what you have sworn to do, or die trying.
4	Leadership: You will win a great battle that bards will sing about, and in so doing, you will become an example to inspire others.
5	Faith: You know your path is righteous, or else the gods would not have set you upon it.
6	Glory: You will lead the world into a grand new era, one that will be branded with your name.

Symbols: The Banner of Faith

A Paladin’s symbol is not just a mark of their faith; it is a rallying cry, a beacon of hope, and a reminder of the oath they have sworn. These symbols are often worn proudly, guiding the Paladin and those who follow them.

d6	Symbol
1	A dragon, emblematic of your nobility in peace and your ferocity in combat.
2	A clenched fist, because you are always ready to fight for your beliefs.
3	An upraised open hand, indicating your preference for diplomacy over combat.
4	A red heart, showing the world your commitment to justice.
5	A black heart, signifying that emotions such as pity do not sway your dedication to your oath.
6	An unblinking eye, meaning that you are ever alert to all threats against your cause.

Paladin: What Called You to Serve?

d6	I became a paladin because...
1	I was raised in the church, and I devoted my life to the faith from an early age.
2	I saw the wickedness of the world and vowed to stand against it.
3	I felt a calling from a divine power to defend the innocent and the righteous.
4	My family was slain by evil forces, and I swore an oath of vengeance.
5	I took up arms to protect those who could not protect themselves.
6	I was inspired by the example of a great paladin and resolved to follow in their footsteps.

You must have a Charisma score and a Strength score of 13 or higher in order to multiclass in or out of this class.

QUICK BUILD

You can make a paladin quickly by following these suggestions.

• First, Strength should be your highest ability score, followed by Charisma.
• Second, choose the Noble background.

The Paladin

Level	Proficiency Bonus	Features	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	5th
1st	+2	Divine Sense, Lay on Hands	-	-	-	-	-
2nd	+2	Fighting Style, Spellcasting, Divine Smite	2	-	-	-	-
3rd	+2	Divine Health, Sacred Oath, Harness Divine Power (Optional)	3	-	-	-	-
4th	+2	Ability Score Improvement, Martial Versatility (Optional)	3	-	-	-	-
5th	+3	Extra Attack	4	2	-	-	-
6th	+3	Aura of Protection	4	2	-	-	-
7th	+3	Sacred Oath feature	4	3	-	-	-
8th	+3	Ability Score Improvement, Martial Versatility (Optional)	4	3	-	-	-
9th	+4		4	3	2	-	-
10th	+4	Aura of Courage	4	3	2	-	-
11th	+4	Improved Divine Smite	4	3	3	-	-
12th	+4	Ability Score Improvement, Martial Versatility (Optional)	4	3	3	-	-
13th	+5		4	3	3	1	-
14th	+5	Cleansing Touch	4	3	3	1	-
15th	+5	Sacred Oath feature	4	3	3	2	-
16th	+5	Ability Score Improvement, Martial Versatility (Optional)	4	3	3	2	-
17th	+6		4	3	3	3	1
18th	+6	Aura improvements	4	3	3	3	1
19th	+6	Ability Score Improvement, Martial Versatility (Optional)	4	3	3	3	2
20th	+6	Sacred Oath feature	4	3	3	3	2

Sacred Oaths

Becoming a paladin involves taking vows that commit the paladin to the cause of righteousness, an active path of fighting wickedness. The final oath, taken when he or she reaches 3rd level, is the culmination of all the paladin’s training. Some characters with this class don’t consider themselves true paladins until they have reached 3rd level and made this oath. For others, the actual swearing of the oath is a formality, an official stamp on what has always been true in the paladin’s heart.

A Paladin’s journey reaches its pinnacle at the moment of swearing a Sacred Oath. It is in this oath that their true power is unlocked, their destiny forged, and their purpose solidified. These sacred vows are not mere words but bonds that tie the Paladin’s soul to their cause, guiding their actions and imbuing them with divine might. Here are the Sacred Oaths that stand as the pillars of the Paladin’s code.

BREAKING YOUR OATH

A paladin tries to hold to the highest standards of conduct, but even the most virtuous paladin is fallible. Sometimes the right path proves too demanding, sometimes a situation calls for the lesser of two evils, and sometimes the heat of emotion causes a paladin to transgress his or her oath.

A paladin who has broken a vow typically seeks absolution from a cleric who shares his or her faith or from another paladin of the same order. The paladin might spend an all-night vigil in prayer as a sign of penitence, or undertake a fast or similar act of self-denial. After a rite of confession and forgiveness, the paladin starts fresh.

If a paladin willfully violates his or her oath and shows no sign of repentance, the consequences can be more serious. At the DM’s discretion, an impenitent paladin might be forced to abandon this class and adopt another, or perhaps to take the Oathbreaker paladin option that appears in the Dungeon Master’s Guide.

Class Features

As a paladin, you gain the following class features.

Hit Points

Hit Dice:

1d10 per paladin level

Hit Points at 1st Level:

10 + your Constitution modifier

Hit Points at Higher Levels:

1d10 (or 6) + your Constitution modifier per paladin level after 1st

Proficiencies

Armor:

All armor, shields

Weapons:

Simple weapons, martial weapons

Tools:

None

Saving Throws:

Wisdom, Charisma

Skills:

Choose two from Athletics, Insight, Intimidation, Medicine, Persuasion, and Religion

Equipment

You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background:

• (a) a martial weapon and a shield or (b) two martial weapons
• (a) five javelins or (b) any simple melee weapon
• (a) a priest's pack or (b) an explorer's pack
• Chain mail and a holy symbol

Divine Sense

The presence of strong evil registers on your senses like a noxious odor, and powerful good rings like heavenly music in your ears. As an action, you can open your awareness to detect such forces. Until the end of your next turn, you know the location of any celestial, fiend, or undead within 60 feet of you that is not behind total cover. You know the type (celestial, fiend, or undead) of any being whose presence you sense, but not its identity (the vampire Count Strahd von Zarovich, for instance). Within the same radius, you also detect the presence of any place or object that has been consecrated or desecrated, as with the Hallow spell.

You can use this feature a number of times equal to 1 + your Charisma modifier. When you finish a long rest, you regain all expended uses.

Lay on Hands

Your blessed touch can heal wounds. You have a pool of healing power that replenishes when you take a long rest. With that pool, you can restore a total number of hit points equal to your paladin level x 5.

As an action, you can touch a creature and draw power from the pool to restore a number of hit points to that creature, up to the maximum amount remaining in your pool.

Alternatively, you can expend 5 hit points from your pool of healing to cure the target of one disease or neutralize one poison affecting it. You can cure multiple diseases and neutralize multiple poisons with a single use of Lay on Hands, expending hit points separately for each one.

This feature has no effect on undead and constructs.

Fighting Style

Starting at 2nd level, you adopt a particular style of fighting as your specialty. Choose one of the following options. You can't take a Fighting Style option more than once, even if you later get to choose again.

• Blessed Warrior. You learn two cantrips of your choice from the cleric spell list. They count as paladin spells for you, and Charisma is your spellcasting ability for them. Whenever you gain a level in this class, you can replace one of these cantrips with another cantrip from the cleric spell list.

• Blind Fighting. You have blindsight with a range of 10 feet. Within that range, you can effectively see anything that isn't behind total cover, even if you're blinded or in darkness. Moreover, you can see an invisible creature within that range, unless the creature successfully hides from you.

• Defense. While you are wearing armor, you gain a +1 bonus to AC.

• Dueling. When you are wielding a melee weapon in one hand and no other weapons, you gain a +2 bonus to damage rolls with that weapon.

• Great Weapon Fighting. When you roll a 1 or 2 on a damage die for an attack you make with a melee weapon that you are wielding with two hands, you can reroll the die and must use the new roll, even if the new roll is a 1 or a 2. The weapon must have the two-handed or versatile property for you to gain this benefit.

• Interception. When a creature you can see hits a target, other than you, within 5 feet of you with an attack, you can use your reaction to reduce the damage the target takes by 1d10 + your proficiency bonus (to a minimum of 0 damage). You must be wielding a shield or a simple or martial weapon to use this reaction.

• Protection. When a creature you can see attacks a target other than you that is within 5 feet of you, you can use your reaction to impose disadvantage on the attack roll. You must be wielding a shield.

Spellcasting

By 2nd level, you have learned to draw on divine magic through meditation and prayer to cast spells as a cleric does.

Preparing and Casting Spells

The Paladin table shows how many spell slots you have to cast your paladin spells. To cast one of your paladin spells of 1st level or higher, you must expend a slot of the spell's level or higher. You regain all expended spell slots when you finish a long rest.

You prepare the list of paladin spells that are available for you to cast, choosing from the paladin spell list. When you do so, choose a number of paladin spells equal to your Charisma modifier + half your paladin level, rounded down (minimum of one spell). The spells must be of a level for which you have spell slots.

For example, if you are a 5th-level paladin, you have four 1st-level and two 2nd-level spell slots. With a Charisma of 14, your list of prepared spells can include four spells of 1st or 2nd level, in any combination. If you prepare the 1st-level spell Cure Wounds, you can cast it using a 1st-level or a 2nd-level slot. Casting the spell doesn't remove it from your list of prepared spells.

You can change your list of prepared spells when you finish a long rest. Preparing a new list of paladin spells requires time spent in prayer and meditation: at least 1 minute per spell level for each spell on your list.

Spellcasting Ability

Charisma is your spellcasting ability for your paladin spells, since their power derives from the strength of your convictions. You use your Charisma whenever a spell refers to your spellcasting ability. In addition, you use your Charisma modifier when setting the saving throw DC for a paladin spell you cast and when making an attack roll with one.

Spell save DC

= 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Charisma modifier

Spell attack modifier

= your proficiency bonus + your Charisma modifier

Spellcasting Focus

You can use a holy symbol as a spellcasting focus for your paladin spells.

Divine Smite

Starting at 2nd level, when you hit a creature with a melee weapon attack, you can expend one spell slot to deal radiant damage to the target, in addition to the weapon's damage. The extra damage is 2d8 for a 1st-level spell slot, plus 1d8 for each spell level higher than 1st, to a maximum of 5d8. The damage increases by 1d8 if the target is an undead or a fiend, to a maximum of 6d8.

Divine Health

By 3rd level, the divine magic flowing through you makes you immune to disease.

Sacred Oath

When you reach 3rd level, you swear the oath that binds you as a paladin forever. Up to this time you have been in a preparatory stage, committed to the path but not yet sworn to it. Your choice grants you features at 3rd level and again at 7th, 15th, and 20th level. Those features include oath spells and the Channel Divinity feature.

Oath	Source
Ancients	Player's Handbook
Conquest	Xanathar's Guide to Everything
Crown	Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide
Devotion	Player's Handbook
Glory	Mythic Odysseys of Theros Tasha's Cauldron of Everything
Redemption	Xanathar's Guide to Everything
Vengeance	Player's Handbook
Watchers	Tasha's Cauldron of Everything
Oathbreaker	Dungeon Master’s Guide

Oath Spells

Each oath has a list of associated spells. You gain access to these spells at the levels specified in the oath description. Once you gain access to an oath spell, you always have it prepared. Oath spells don't count against the number of spells you can prepare each day.

If you gain an oath spell that doesn't appear on the paladin spell list, the spell is nonetheless a paladin spell for you.

Channel Divinity

Your oath allows you to channel divine energy to fuel magical effects. Each Channel Divinity option provided by your oath explains how to use it.

When you use your Channel Divinity, you choose which option to use. You must then finish a short or long rest to use your Channel Divinity again.

Some Channel Divinity effects require saving throws. When you use such an effect from this class, the DC equals your paladin spell save DC.

Harness Divine Power (Optional)

Also at 3rd level, you can expend a use of your Channel Divinity to fuel your spells. As a bonus action, you touch your holy symbol, utter a prayer, and regain one expended spell slot, the level of which can be no higher than half your proficiency bonus (rounded up). The number of times you can use this feature is based on the level you've reached in this class: 3rd level, once; 7th level, twice; and 15th level, thrice. You regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest.

Ability Score Improvement

When you reach 4th level, and again at 8th, 12th, 16th, and 19th level, you can increase one ability score of your choice by 2, or you can increase two ability scores of your choice by 1. As normal, you can't increase an ability score above 20 using this feature.

Martial Versatility (Optional)

Whenever you reach a level in this class that grants the Ability Score Improvement feature, you can replace a fighting style you know with another fighting style available to paladins. This replacement represents a shift of focus in your martial practice.

Extra Attack

Beginning at 5th level, you can attack twice, instead of once, whenever you take the Attack action on your turn.

Aura of Protection

Starting at 6th level, whenever you or a friendly creature within 10 feet of you must make a saving throw, the creature gains a bonus to the saving throw equal to your Charisma modifier (with a minimum bonus of +1). You must be conscious to grant this bonus.

At 18th level, the range of this aura increases to 30 feet.

Aura of Courage

Starting at 10th level, you and friendly creatures within 10 feet of you can't be frightened while you are conscious.

At 18th level, the range of this aura increases to 30 feet.

Improved Divine Smite

By 11th level, you are so suffused with righteous might that all your melee weapon strikes carry divine power with them. Whenever you hit a creature with a melee weapon, the creature takes an extra 1d8 radiant damage.

Cleansing Touch

Beginning at 14th level, you can use your action to end one spell on yourself or on one willing creature that you touch.

You can use this feature a number of times equal to your Charisma modifier (a minimum of once). You regain expended uses when you finish a long rest.