Paladin
"A promise made so deeply that it becomes divine in itself flows through a Paladin, burning bright enough to inspire allies and smite foes."
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Paladins are united by their oaths to stand against the forces of annihilation and corruption. Whether sworn before a god's altar, in a sacred glade before nature spirits, or in a moment of desperation and grief with the dead as the only witnesses, a Paladin's oath is a powerful bond. It is a source of power that turns a devout warrior into a blessed champion.
Paladins train 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 injured, smite their foes, and protect the helpless and those who fight at their side.
Almost by definition, the life of a Paladin is an adventuring life, for every Paladin lives on the front lines of the cosmic struggle against annihilation. Fighters are rare enough among the ranks of a world's armies, but even fewer people can claim the calling of a Paladin. When they do receive the call, these blessed folk turn from their former occupations and take up arms and magic.
Core Trait
You have the following Core Traits
- Primary Ability
- Strength & Charisma
- Hit Point Die
-
D10 per Paladin level
HP at Level 1: 10 + Con. modifier
HP per Paladin Level: 6 + Con. modifier - Saving Throw Proficiencies
- Wisdom and Charisma
- Skill Proficiencies
- Choose 2: Athletics, Insight, Intimidation, Medicine, Persuasion, or Religion
- Weapon Proficiencies
- Simple weapons and Martial weapons
- Armour Training
- Light, Medium, and Heavy armour and Shields
- Starting Equipment
- Choose A or B:
(A) Chain Mail, Shield, Longsword, 6 Javelins, Holy Symbol, Priest's Pack, and 90 SP, or
(B) 1.500 SP
Becoming a Paladin...
As a Level 1 Character
As a Level 1 Character you gain the following:
- Gain all the traits in the Core Paladin Traits table.
- Gain the Paladin's level 1 features, which are listed in the Paladin Features table.
As a Multiclass Character
To qualify for a new class, you must have a score of at least 13 in the primary ability of the new class and your current classes.
- Gain the following traits from the Core Paladin Traits table: Hit Point Die, proficiency with Martial Weapons, and training with Light and Medium armour and Shields.
- Gain the Paladin's level 1 features, which are listed in the Paladin Features table.
Paladin Class Features
As a Paladin, you gain the following class features when you reach the specified Paladin levels. These features are listed in the Paladin Features table. See the multiclassing rules to determine your available spell slots.
Paladin Features
| Level | PB | Class Feature | Channel Divinity | Spell Prepared | I | II | III | IV | V |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | +2 | Lay On Hands, Spellcasting, Weapon Mastery | — | 2 | 2 | — | — | — | — |
| 2 | +2 | Fighting Style, Paladin's Smite | — | 3 | 2 | — | — | — | — |
| 3 | +2 | Channel Divinity, Paladin Subclass | 2 | 4 | 3 | — | — | — | — |
| 4 | +2 | Ability Score Improvement | 2 | 5 | 3 | — | — | — | — |
| 5 | +3 | Extra Attack, Faithful Steed | 2 | 6 | 4 | 2 | — | — | — |
| 6 | +3 | Aura of Protection | 2 | 6 | 4 | 2 | — | — | — |
| 7 | +3 | Subclass feature | 2 | 7 | 4 | 3 | — | — | — |
| 8 | +3 | Ability Score Improvement | 2 | 7 | 4 | 3 | — | — | — |
| 9 | +4 | Abjure Foes | 2 | 9 | 4 | 3 | 2 | — | — |
| 10 | +4 | Aura of Courage | 2 | 9 | 4 | 3 | 2 | — | — |
| 11 | +4 | Radiant Strikes | 3 | 10 | 4 | 3 | 3 | — | — |
| 12 | +4 | Ability Score Improvement | 3 | 10 | 4 | 3 | 3 | — | — |
| 13 | +5 | — | 3 | 11 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 1 | — |
| 14 | +5 | Restoring Touch | 3 | 11 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 1 | — |
| 15 | +5 | Subclass feature | 3 | 12 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | — |
| 16 | +5 | Ability Score Improvement | 3 | 12 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | — |
| 17 | +6 | — | 3 | 14 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 |
| 18 | +6 | Aura Expansion | 3 | 14 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 |
| 19 | +6 | Epic Boon | 3 | 15 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 |
| 20 | +6 | Subclass feature | 3 | 15 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 |
Level 1: 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 five times your Paladin level.
As a Bonus Action, you can touch a creature (which could be yourself) and draw power from the pool of healing to restore a number of Hit Points to that creature, up to the maximum amount remaining in the pool.
In addition, you can expend 5 Hit Points from the pool of healing to remove the Poisoned condition from the creature, rather than using those points to restore Hit Points.
Level 1: Spellcasting
You have learned to cast spells through prayer and meditation. See chapter 7 for the rules on spellcasting. The information below details how you use those rules with Paladin spells, which appear in the Paladin spell list later in the class's description.
Spell Slots
The Paladin Features table shows how many spell slots you have to cast your level 1+ spells. You regain all expended slots when you finish a Long Rest.
Prepared Spells of Level 1+
You prepare the list of level 1+ spells that are available for you to cast with this feature. To start, choose two level 1 Paladin spells. Heroism and Searing Smite are recommended.
The number of spells on your list increases as you gain Paladin levels, as shown in the Prepared Spells column of the Paladin Features table. Whenever that number increases, choose additional Paladin spells until the number of spells on your list matches the number in the Paladin Features table. The chosen spells must be of a level for which you have spell slots. For example, if you're a level 5 Paladin, your list of prepared spells can include six Paladin spells of level 1 or 2 in any combination.
If another Paladin feature gives you spells that you always have prepared, those spells don't count against the number of spells you can prepare with this feature, but those spells otherwise count as Paladin spells for you.
Changing Your Prepared Spells
Whenever you finish a Long Rest, you can replace one spell on your list with another Paladin spell for which you have spell slots.
Spellcasting Ability
Charisma is your spellcasting ability for your Paladin spells.
Spellcasting Focus
You can use a Holy Symbol as a Spellcasting Focus for your Paladin spells.
Level 1: Weapon Mastery
Your training with weapons allows you to use the mastery properties of two kinds of weapons of your choice with which you have proficiency, such as Longswords and Javelins.
Whenever you finish a Long Rest, you can change the kinds of weapons you chose. For example, you could switch to using the mastery properties of Halberds and Flails.
Level 1: Expanded Weapon Mastery (Optional)
This new feature expands your base class Weapon Mastery feature. You gain the following option when you use Weapon Mastery.
Replace Weapon Mastery When selecting weapons for Weapon Mastery, you can also replace the Mastery property of any weapon you are using with another eligible property. For example, you could change a Longsword’s Sap property to Flex.
Multiple Mastery on One Weapon When selecting weapons for Weapon Mastery, you can instead assign an additional eligible Mastery property to a weapon you already chose. A weapon can have no more than four mastery properties at a time. If a weapon has multiple mastery properties, you can only use one of them per attack. You must choose which mastery property you're using before making the attack.
Level 2: Fighting Style
You gain a Fighting Style feat of your choice (see chapter 5 for feats). Instead of choosing one of those feats, you can choose the option below.
Blessed Warrior You learn two Cleric cantrips of your choice (see the Cleric class's section for a list of Cleric spells). Guidance and * Sacred Flame are recommended. The chosen cantrips count as Paladin spells for you, and Charisma is your spellcasting ability for them. Whenever you gain a Paladin level, you can replace one of these cantrips with another Cleric cantrip.
Level 2: Paladin's Smite
You always have the Divine Smite spell prepared. In addition, you can cast it without expending a spell slot, but you must finish a Long Rest before you can cast it in this way again.
Level 2: Divine Smite
Level 2 Paladin Optional Class Feature, replaces Paladin's Smite
When you damage a creature with a Melee weapon attack or an
Unarmed Strike , you can expend a spell slot to cause that attack to deal bonus damage to the target. This feature also changes the damage type dealt from Radiant Strike feature. This bonus damage is 2d8 for a level 1 spell slot and it increases by 1d8 for each spell slot level above 1, to a maximum of 6d8.
The bonus damage of this feature depends on your alignment, or freely choose from the following table.
| Alignment | Damage Type |
|---|---|
| Good | Radiant |
| Neutral | Thunder |
| Evil | Necrotic |
Level 3: Channel Divinity
You can channel divine energy directly from the Outer Planes, using that energy to fuel magical effects. You start with one such effect: Divine Sense, which is described below. Other Paladin features give additional Channel Divinity effect options. Each time you use this Channel Divinity, you choose which effect to create from among those you have from this class.
You can use Channel Divinity twice. You regain one expended use when you finish a Short Rest, and you regain all expended uses when you finish a Long Rest. You gain additional uses when you reach certain Paladin levels, as shown in the Channel Divinity column of the Paladin table.
If a Channel Divinity effect requires a saving throw, the DC equals the Spell Save DC from this class's Spellcasting feature.
Divine Sense
As a Bonus Action, you can open your awareness to detect Celestials, Fiends, and Undead. For the next 10 minutes or until you have the Incapacitated condition, you know the location of any creature of those types within 60 feet of yourself, and you know its creature type. 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.
Level 3: Paladin Subclass
You gain a Paladin subclass of your choice. A subclass is a specialization that grants you features at certain Paladin levels. For the rest of your career, you gain each of your subclass's features that are of your Paladin level or lower.
Breaking Your Oath
A Paladin tries to hold to the highest standards of conduct, but even the most dedicated are fallible. Sometimes a Paladin transgresses their oath.
A Paladin who has broken a vow typically seeks absolution, spending an all-night vigil as a sign of penitence or undertaking a fast. After a rite of forgiveness, the Paladin starts fresh.
If your Paladin unrepentantly violates their oath, talk to your DM. Your Paladin should probably take a more appropriate subclass or even abandon the class and adopt another one.
Level 4: Ability Score Improvement
You gain the Ability Score Improvement feat or another feat of your choice for which you qualify. You gain this feature again at Paladin levels 8, 12, and 16.
Level 5: Extra Attack
You can attack twice instead of once whenever you take the Attack action on your turn.
Level 5: Faithful Steed
You can call on the aid of an otherworldly steed. You always have the Find Steed spell prepared.
You can also cast the spell once without expending a spell slot, and you regain the ability to do so when you finish a Long Rest.
Level 6: Aura of Protection
You radiate a protective, unseeable aura in a 10-foot Emanation that originates from you. The aura is inactive while you have the Incapacitated condition.
You and your allies in the aura gain a bonus to saving throws equal to your Charisma modifier (minimum bonus of +1).
If another Paladin is present, a creature can benefit from only one Aura of Protection at a time; the creature chooses which aura while in them.
Level 9: Abjure Foes
As a Magic action, you can expend one use of this class's Channel Divinity to overwhelm foes with awe. As you present your Holy Symbol or weapon, you can target a number of creatures equal to your Charisma modifier (minimum of one creature) that you can see within 60 feet of yourself. Each target must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw or have the Frightened condition for 1 minute or until it takes any damage. While Frightened in this way, a target can do only one of the following on its turns: move, take an action, or take a Bonus Action.
Level 10: Aura of Courage
You and your allies have Immunity to the Frightened condition while in your Aura of Protection. If a Frightened ally enters the aura, that condition has no effect on that ally while there.
Level 11: Radiant Strikes
Your strikes now carry supernatural power. When you hit a target with an attack roll using a Melee weapon or an Unarmed Strike , the target takes an extra 1d8 Radiant damage.
Level 14: Restoring Touch
When you use Lay On Hands on a creature, you can also remove one or more of the following conditions from the creature: Blinded, Charmed, Deafened, Frightened, Paralyzed, or Stunned. You must expend 5 Hit Points from the healing pool of Lay On Hands for each of these conditions you remove; those points don't also restore Hit Points to the creature.
Level 18: Aura Expansion
Your Aura of Protection is now a 30-foot Emanation.
Level 19: Epic Boon
You gain an Epic Boon feat or another feat of your choice for which you qualify. Boon of Truesight is recommended.