Talk:Paladin
Paladins
Clad in plate armor that gleams in the sunlight despite the dust and grime of long travel, a human lays down her sword and shield and places her hands on a mortally wounded man. Divine radiance shines from her hands, the man’s wounds knit closed, and his eyes open wide with amazement.
A dwarf crouches behind an outcrop, his black cloak making him nearly invisible in the night, and watches an orc war band celebrating its recent victory. Silently, he stalks into their midst and whispers an oath, and two orcs are dead before they even realize he is there.
Silver hair shining in a shaft of light that seems to illuminate only him, an elf laughs with exultation. His spear flashes like his eyes as he jabs again and again at a twisted giant, until at last his light overcomes its hideous darkness.
Whatever their origin and their mission, paladins are united by their oaths to stand against the forces of evil. 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. It is a source of power that turns a devout warrior into a blessed champion.
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 them 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 c1aim 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 c1ass 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 c1ass. 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? Appendix B lists many deities worshiped by paladins throughout the multiverse, such as Torm, Tyr, Heironeous, Paladine, Kiri-Jolith, DoI 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.
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.
Sacred Oaths
Oath of Predation
| Level | Oath of Predation features |
|---|---|
| 3rd | Oath Spells, Proficiencies, Channel Divinity |
| 7th | Perfect Domination |
| 15th | Shroud of the Illrigger |
| 20th | Hand of Manipulation |
Xanather’s Lost Notes to Everything Else, p.24
Paladins who follow the Oath of Predation believe that the world can only be made perfect through utter control. Through careful planning, subterfuge and unwavering patience, these paladins create hierarchies with themselves at the top, and execute their power with impunity. Few paladins can resist the allure of unchecked power, and most succumb to the temptations of tyranny. The clearest example of these illriggers come from the Dragonlance campaign setting, an order known as the Knights of Takhisis.
Tenets of Predation
The tenets of the Oath of Predation remind adherents that the whims of their patron supersede all other oaths and laws.
- Cultivate the Flock
- It is not enough to gather a congregation. You must hone them to a ready point, zealous to do what is necessary with a word.
- Maintain Supremacy
- You are the order in the midst of chaos. You vow to follow no rules other than the rigid disciplines necessary to maintain the faith. Those who deviate from the plan will die.
- Reward Thy Followers
- Engage not in needless cruelty and treat well those who submit. Honor thy contracts but do not hesitate to steal, murder, or mislead to complete your orders.
- World of Order
- You provide authority where it lacks and subjugate yourself to the cause. Just as you do not operate with impunity, you create and maintain a network of followers to precipitate an unquestionable dominion.
Oath Spells
You gain oath spells at the paladin levels listed in the Oath of Predation spells table. See Sacred Oath for how oath spells work.
| Level | Oath of Predation spells |
|---|---|
| 3rd | command, protection from evil and good |
| 5th | enthrall, pass without trace |
| 9th | hypnotic pattern, nondetection |
| 13th | compulsion, mage’s private sanctum |
| 17th | dominate person, teleportation circle |
Bonus Proficiencies
At 3rd level, you gain proficiency in thieves’ tools and your choice of the Sleight of Hand or Stealth skills.
Additionally, if you are proficient in the Deception, Intimidation, or Persuasion skills, your proficiency bonus is doubled for any ability check you make using this skill.
Channel Divinity
When you take this option at 3rd level, you gain the following two Channel Divinity options.
Predatory Instincts
When you roll initiative, you can use your Channel Divinity to imbue your movements with foul alacrity. You add your Charisma modifier to your initiative roll, you have advantage on attack rolls against any creature that hasn’t taken a turn in combat yet, and you deal an additional 1d6 necrotic damage to that creature. This damage increases to 2d6 at 7th level, 3d6 at 11th level, 4d6 at 15th level, and 5d6 at 19th level.
Fell Suggestion
As an action, you can use your Channel Divinity to magically enthrall another creature within 5 feet of you. If the target can see or hear you, it must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw or become charmed by you for 1 minute.
You can use a bonus action to issue simple commands to the charmed creature if it is within 60 feet of you. You decide what action the creature takes and where it moves during its next turn. When you issue a command, and at the end of each of its turns, the creature must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw or carry out your instructions to the best of its ability on its turn. The DM determines how the target behaves.
Once the effect ends, or if the creature succeeds on its initial saving throw against this effect, you can’t use this feature on that creature again until you finish a long rest.
Perfect Domination
| Level | Creature’s CR |
|---|---|
| 7th | ½ or lower |
| 11th | 1 or lower |
| 15th | 2 or lower |
| 19th | 3 or lower |
Starting at 7th level, when you use your Fell Suggestion feature, you can choose to force the creature to fail its saving throw if its challenge rating is equal to or below a certain threshold, as shown below. When the creature makes a saving throw to break the effect, it does so with disadvantage.
A creature subjected to your perfect domination is charmed by you for 1 hour instead of 1 minute.
Starting at 15th level, creatures of CR ½ or lower are charmed by you indefinitely until the charm is broken. At 19th level, this indefinite charm extends to creatures of CR 1 or lower.
Shroud of the Illrigger
Beginning at 15th level, you are always under the effects of a pass without trace spell.
Hand of Manipulation
At 20th level, you gain the ability to execute your master plans unseen. As an action, you can magically become an avatar of deception and subterfuge, gaining the following benefits for 1 minute.
- You gain the effects of a greater invisibility spell.
- Once per turn, when you have advantage on your attack roll, you deal extra necrotic damage equal to your paladin level.
- Your allies have advantage on melee attack rolls against any creature within 5 feet of you that you choose. Their attacks deal additional damage equal to your Charisma modifier (minimum of 1).
- You and each creature of your choice that you can see within 30 feet of you are immune to being charmed.
Once you use this feature, you can’t use it again until you finish a long rest.
Oath of Providence
| Level | Oath of Predation features |
|---|---|
| 3rd | Oath Spells, Channel Divinity |
| 7th | Favor the Bold |
| 15th | Gift of Foresight |
| 20th | Hand of Fate |
Xanather’s Lost Notes to Everything Else, p.26
Paladins who take the Oath of Providence believe they are the hand of destiny, striking down enemies beyond redemption. They believe in their hearts that some creatures, often those who commit atrocities, are fated to die in battle. These paladins are the executioners. Their oath gives them the power to bend destiny in their favor and send foes to their final fate.
Tenets of Providence
The tenets of the Oath of Providence are written in stone on the tombs of paladins undertaking this path.
- Embrace Destiny
- When bad luck comes your way, understand it was meant to be and search for the opportunity fate has given you within your loss.
- Deliver Enemies to Fate
- Those who become your enemies aren’t long for this world. They must die by your hand.
- Accept Immutability
- Fate is a force more powerful than the gods. Accept that there are situations in which you're powerless and take power over that you can influence.
- Strength in Numbers
- Together with your allies, you have the power to influence fate. Destiny smiles upon those who embrace it.
Oath Spells
You gain oath spells at the paladin levels listed in the Oath of Providence spells table. See Sacred Oath for how oath spells work.
| Level | Oath of Providence spells |
|---|---|
| 3rd | bless, divine favor |
| 5th | aid, augury |
| 9th | bestow curse, clairvoyance |
| 13th | death ward, divination |
| 17th | commune, legend lore |
Channel Divinity
When you take this option at 3rd level, you gain the following two Channel Divinity options.
Predestination
You can use your Channel Divinity to invoke the divine to smile upon your allies. When one creature within 60 feet of you that you can see makes a saving throw, you can use your reaction to grant the creature advantage on the save, using your Channel Divinity. If the effect allows the creature to take only half damage on a successful save, the creature instead takes no damage on a successful save, and only half as much damage one a failed one.
Kiss of Calamity
As an action, your Channel Divinity can be used to besiege your enemies with bad luck. Each unfriendly creature that can see or hear you within 30 feet of you must make a Charisma saving throw, gaining disadvantage on all saving throws for 1 minute on a failure. You must be conscious for this feature to have effect.
Favor the Bold
Beginning at 7th level, fortune guides your hand. When you miss with a weapon attack, you can choose to hit instead. When you use this feature, your target takes extra radiant damage equal to your Charisma modifier (minimum of 1).
You can use this feature a number of times equal to your Charisma modifier (a minimum of once). You regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest.
Gift of Foresight
Starting at 15th level, your faith grants you a prophetic glimpse into the future. When you finish a short or long rest, roll a d20 and record the number rolled. You can replace any attack roll, saving throw, or ability check made by you or a creature that you can see with your prophetic roll. You must choose to do so before the roll, and you can use roll in this way only once.
When you finish a short or long rest, you lose any unused prophetic roll.
Hand of Fate
At 20th level, you become an agent of destiny, heavily influencing the outcome of the events around you. For 1 minute, you project an aura of dim, silver light in a 10- foot radius. Whenever an enemy creature starts its turn in your aura, it has disadvantage on attacks and saving throws, while you and friendly creatures have advantage on attack rolls and saving throws. When the aura fades away, you regain all expended uses of your Favor the Bold feature.
Once you use this feature, you can’t use it again until you finish a long rest.
Notes
https://www.reddit.com/r/dndnext/comments/b3hvbq/picking_an_aasimar_paladin_is_like_picking_2/ https://www.dndbeyond.com/forums/class-forums/paladin/2265-aasimar-paladin-yay-or-nay https://www.google.com/search?q=aaismir+paladin&oq=aaismir+paladin&aqs=chrome..69i57j0l5.6214j1j7&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8
Score 3E 5E Array 8 0 0 15 9 1 1 14 10 2 2 13 11 3 3 12 12 4 4 10 13 5 5 8 14 6 7 15 8 9 16 10 12 17 13 15 18 16 18 Standard 25 27 Tougher 28 High-power 32 Challenging 22 Low-power 15
