Paladin

Main Page > Character Creation > Playable Classes > Paladin

---

Fuelled by the Oath you swore to uphold justice and righteousness, you are a beacon of hope in dark times.

Paladin is one of the Playable Classes of Baldur's Gate 3. Paladins are masters of a variety of weapons and armor. They channel the power of their sacred oath to heal the sick and injured and to smite their foes. Important Ability Scores for Paladins include Strength (or Dexterity), Charisma, and Constitution.

Class Information

• Level 1 Maximum Hit Points: 10 + Constitution Modifier
  • Hit points gained at higher levels: 6 + Constitution Modifier
• Important Ability Scores: Strength or Dexterity for physical attacks, Charisma for Spells and Channel Oath Abilities, and Constitution for Hit Points and Concentration Checks.
• Spellcasting:
  • Spellcasting Ability: Charisma
  • Paladins are primarily martial fighters; they gain Spell Slots at 1/2 the rate of a full spellcaster.
  • Prepared Spells: You may swap your Prepared Spells at any time while out of combat, but can only have a certain number of Spells prepared at a time. The Spells must be of a level for which you have Spell Slots.
    • Number of Prepared Spells = (1/2 Paladin level, rounded down) + Charisma Modifier (Minimum of 1 spell).
• Saving Throw Proficiencies: Wisdom, Charisma
• Equipment Proficiencies:
  • Simple weapons, Martial weapons
  • Light armour, Medium armour, Heavy armour
  • Shields

• Oath of Devotion Default Armour.png

  Oath of Devotion Paladin's default armor

• Oath of The Ancients Default Armour.png

  Oath of the Ancients Paladin's default armor

Skills

You receive a bonus to every Skill that you are Proficient in. This bonus increases as you gain levels in your Class and applies to all Checks for those Skills.

Level 1 Proficiency Bonus: +2

• Inherited Skills: Granted by Races and Backgrounds.
• Skills with Proficiency (Choose 2):
  • Athletics
  • Insight
  • Intimidation
  • Medicine
  • Persuasion
  • Religion

Oaths and Oathbreaking

A Paladin's Oath is not to be taken lightly: its power quite literally fuels your abilities.

Keeping Your Oath

Your choice of subclass during Character Creation determines the Oath you have taken:

Oath of the Ancients

Oath of Devotion

Kindle the Light. Through your acts of mercy, kindness, and forgiveness, kindle the light of hope in the world, beating back despair. Shelter the Light. Where there is good, beauty, love, and laughter in the world, stand against the wickedness that would swallow it. Where life flourishes, stand against the forces that would render it barren. Preserve Your Own Light. Delight in song and laughter, in beauty and art. If you allow the light to die in your own heart, you can’t preserve it in the world. Be the Light. Be a glorious beacon for all who live in despair. Let the light of your joy and courage shine forth in all your deeds.

Honesty. Don’t lie or cheat. Let your word be your promise. Courage. Never fear to act, though caution is wise. Compassion. Aid others, protect the weak, and punish those who threaten them. Show mercy to your foes, but temper it with wisdom. Honor. Treat others with fairness, and let your honorable deeds be an example to them. Do as much good as possible while causing the least amount of harm. Duty. Be responsible for your actions and their consequences, protect those entrusted to your care, and obey those who have just authority over you.

The basic tenets of your Oath can also be found embroidered on your starting Armour.

As a Paladin, you must constantly adhere to the tenets of your Oath or you will lose the power it grants you. Taking any action that breaks your Oath will summon the Oathbreaker Knight and temporarily prevent you from using your Channel Oath abilities.

Here are some examples of Oathbreaking actions. Note that the specific types of actions that break a given Oath may change as Larian continues to develop the game.

• Oath of the Ancients: Killing a non-aggressive animal or choosing an "Attack" dialogue option when more peaceful options are available.
• Oath of Devotion: Attacking a non-hostile creature, refusing to defend someone who is obviously in need of aid, or deceiving your enemies (e.g. negotiating a peaceful resolution and then attacking anyway).

Becoming an Oathbreaker

*A spasm grips your chest. Your strength falters. An emptiness grows within you, Paladin. Something has been lost.*

Oathbreaker

Unlike the other Paladin subclasses, the Oathbreaker subclass is not available during Character Creation. Once you have taken an action that breaks your Oath, the Oathbreaker Knight will appear before you and let you know he will be waiting in your Camp. Speak with him to learn about Oathbreaking and, if you so desire, unlock the Oathbreaker subclass. This replaces the Channel Oath abilities and Spells from your previous Oath with new abilities and Spells available only to Oathbreaker.

Restoring Your Oath

If you broke your Oath by accident or otherwise wish to re-dedicate yourself to your Oath, speak to the Oathbreaker Knight in your Camp. He will offer to restore your Oath for a fee of 2000gp. This will allow you to once again use your Channel Oath abilities.

Level Progression

Through experience, you acquire new power. You gain the following trait:

Level 1

• Divine Sense
• Lay on Hands
• Lay on Hands Charges: 3 (Recharge: Long Rest)
• Channel Oath Charges: 1 (Recharge: Short Rest or Long Rest)

• Choose a subclass:

Oath of the Ancients

Oath of Devotion

• Subclass Features:

Oath of the Ancients	Oath of Devotion	Oathbreaker
Channel Oath Abilities: Healing Radiance	Channel Oath Abilities: Holy Rebuke	Channel Oath Abilities: Spiteful Suffering

Level 2

• Divine Smite: Your weapon emanates divine might as you strike. When you hit with a Weapon Attack, you may choose to expend a Spell Slot to infict additional File:Radiant Damage Icon 3.pngRadiant damage. Divine Smite reaction settings can be configured in the Reactions menu (default hotkey: L).

• Fighting Style (Choose 1):
  • Defence: You gain a +1 bonus to Armour Class while wearing armor.
  • Duelling: When you are wielding a melee weapon in one hand and no weapon in the other hand, 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 with a Two-Handed melee weapon, that die is rerolled once.
  • Protection: When you have a shield, impose Disadvantage on an enemy who attacks one of your allies when you are within 5ft. You must be able to see the enemy. (This is a Reaction. Toggle a reaction during your turn. It will automatically execute when needed.)

• Level 1 Spell Slots Unlocked: 2 (You gain two Level 1 Spell Slots.)
• Choose a number of Prepared Spells = 1 (1/2 Paladin level) + Charisma Modifier (Minimum of 1 spell.)
  • New 1st Level Spells:
    • Bless
    • Command
    • Compelled Duel
    • Cure Wounds
    • Divine Favour
    • Heroism
    • Protection from Evil and Good
    • Shield of Faith
    • Searing Smite
    • Thunderous Smite
    • Wrathful Smite

Level 3

• Divine Health: The divine magic flowing within you prevents disease from affecting you.
• Level 1 Spell Slots Unlocked: 3 (You gain an additional Level 1 Spell Slot.)
• Choose a number of Prepared Spells = 1 (1/2 Paladin level) + Charisma Modifier (Minimum of 1 spell.)
  • Spells: No new spells at this level, aside from those granted by your subclass

• Subclass Features:

Oath of the Ancients	Oath of Devotion	Oathbreaker
Channel Oath Abilities: Nature's Wrath Turn the Faithless Spells (Always Prepared): Speak with Animals Ensnaring Strike	Channel Oath Abilities: Sacred Weapon Turn the Unholy Spells (Always Prepared): Protection from Evil and Good Sanctuary	Channel Oath Abilities: Control Undead Dreadful Aspect Spells (Always Prepared): Hellish Rebuke Inflict Wounds

Level 4

• Ability Score Improvement or Feat (Choose 1):
  • Improve an Ability Score by 2 or improve two Ability Scores by 1 (Ability Scores can not be higher than 20 using this feature).
  • Choose a Feat.
• Lay on Hands Charges: 4 (You gain +1 Lay on Hands Charge.)
• Choose a number of Prepared Spells = 2 (1/2 Paladin level) + Charisma Modifier (Minimum of 1 spell.)
  • Spells: No new spells at this level

Level 5

• Proficiency Bonus: +3 (You gain +1 to your Proficiency Bonus.)
• Extra Attack: You can attack twice, instead of once, whenever you take the Attack action on your turn.

• Level 1 Spell Slots Unlocked: 4 (You gain an additional Level 1 Spell Slot.)
• Level 2 Spell Slots Unlocked: 2 (You gain two Level 2 Spell Slots.)
• Choose a number of Prepared Spells = 2 (1/2 Paladin level) + Charisma Modifier (Minimum of 1 spell.)
  • New 2nd Level Spells:
    • Aid
    • Lesser Restoration
    • Magic Weapon
    • Protection from Poison
    • Branding Smite

• Subclass Features:

Oath of the Ancients	Oath of Devotion	Oathbreaker
Spells (Always Prepared): Misty Step Moonbeam	Spells (Always Prepared): Lesser Restoration Silence	Spells (Always Prepared): Crown of Madness Darkness

Paladin Spell List

1st Level Spells	2nd Level Spells
Bless Command Compelled Duel Cure Wounds Divine Favour Heroism Protection from Evil and Good Shield of Faith Searing Smite Thunderous Smite Wrathful Smite Ancients only: Speak with Animals Ensnaring Strike Devotion only: Sanctuary Oathbreaker only: Hellish Rebuke Inflict Wounds	Aid Lesser Restoration Magic Weapon Protection from Poison Branding Smite Ancients only: Misty Step Moonbeam Devotion only: Silence Oathbreaker only: Crown of Madness Darkness