The DnD Paladin 5e class is as durable as it is devout. Paladins excel on the frontlines, where they can smite foes and support friends with ease. Beyond the battlefield, their high Charisma and divine powers give them plenty of utility, too. This guide explains the rules for the Dungeons and Dragons Paladin and provides expert advice on playing a character of this class.
The rules and build tips below are based on the most up-to-date version of the 5e Paladin. If you're planning to play with the most recent rules, our guide to DnD backgrounds and DnD races will also be helpful for character-building.
DnD Paladin 5e class explained:

Paladin features
Hit points
| Hit dice | 1d10 per Paladin level |
| HP at first level | 10 + Constitution modifier |
| HP at higher levels | 1d10 + Constitution modifier per Paladin level after first |
Proficiencies
A Paladin is proficient in all three kinds of DnD armor, as well as shields, simple weapons, and martial weapons. They're also proficient in Wisdom and Charisma saving throws, plus two DnD skills of your choice from the following list:
| Skill | Tier | Reason |
| Athletics | A | Uses one of your most important stats and has some situational utility |
| Insight | B | Relies on a dump stat, though it is otherwise useful in social situations |
| Intimidation | B | Relies on your all-important Charisma, though might be uncharacteristic of a holier-than-thou Paladin |
| Medicine | C | Very useful, but relies on your dump stat (Wisdom) again |
| Persuasion | A | A Charisma skill you're likely to use and succeed with often |
| Religion | B | Relies on a stat you won't use often, but very flavorful for Paladins |
Lay on Hands
Level: One
As a bonus action, you can touch a creature (including yourself) and restore a number of hit points. These hit points come from a pool that equals five times your Paladin level, and you can choose to give away as many points as you like up to the maximum amount.
Once the points are taken from your pool, they remain spent - meaning that your next Lay on Hands can only provide hit points up to the maximum points left in the pool. All points in the pool are restored after a long rest.
Alternatively, you can spend five points from the pool to cure a creature of the poisoned condition. This doesn't restore any HP to the creature, but those points are taken from your pool as normal.

Spellcasting
Level: One
Like all magical classes, Paladins must spend a spell slot of the appropriate level when casting a spell. The table below shows how many spells a Paladin knows at each level, as well as the spell slots they have available:
| Spell slots per level | ||||||
| Level | Prepared spells | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| 1 | 2 | 2 | - | - | - | - |
| 2 | 3 | 2 | - | - | - | - |
| 3 | 4 | 3 | - | - | - | - |
| 4 | 5 | 3 | - | - | - | - |
| 5 | 6 | 4 | 2 | - | - | - |
| 6 | 6 | 4 | 2 | - | - | - |
| 7 | 7 | 4 | 3 | - | - | - |
| 8 | 7 | 4 | 3 | 2 | - | - |
| 9 | 9 | 4 | 3 | 2 | - | - |
| 10 | 9 | 4 | 3 | 3 | - | - |
| 11 | 10 | 4 | 3 | 3 | - | - |
| 12 | 10 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 1 | - |
| 13 | 11 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 1 | - |
| 14 | 11 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | - |
| 15 | 12 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | - |
| 16 | 12 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | - |
| 17 | 14 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 |
| 18 | 14 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 |
| 19 | 15 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 |
| 20 | 15 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 |
All spell slots replenish after a long rest, and during long rests, you can swap any one spell you know with another you can cast from the Paladin spell list. This is significantly different from the 2014 rules, where Paladins could change their entire spell list on a long rest.
Any time your number of prepared spells increases, you can choose new spells from the Paladin spell list to learn, though these must be of a level you're able to cast. Some Paladin subclasses or abilities give you extra spells that are "always prepared", and these don't count towards your number of prepared spells.
Weapon Mastery
Level: One
You can choose two weapons that you're proficient in. This allows you to use the DnD weapon mastery properties for those weapons (check out our guide for more info). You can also swap your choices whenever you finish a long rest.

Fighting Style
Level: Two
You choose a fighting style from the list of DnD 2024 feats. Your options are:
- Archery - +2 to attack rolls with ranged weapons.
- Blind Fighting - Gain 10ft of Blindsight.
- Defense - +1 to armor class while in light, medium, or heavy armor.
- Dueling - While wielding a single one-handed melee weapon, your damage rolls with it get +2.
- Great Weapon Fighting - When rolling damage for a two-handed or versatile melee weapon, any 1 or 2 on the die is a 3.
- Interception - When a creature you see hits another creature within five feet of you with an attack roll, you can spend a reaction to reduce the damage by 1d10 plus your proficiency bonus.
- Protection - When you see a creature attack a target other than you within five feet, you can use a reaction and your shield to give the attacker's attack rolls disadvantage until the start of your next turn (as long as they stay within five feet).
- Thrown Weapon Fighting - Add +2 to damage rolls with Thrown weapons.
- Two-Weapon Fighting - When making an extra attack with a Light weapon, add your ability modifier to the damage.
- Unarmed Fighting - Unarmed strikes can deal bludgeoning damage equal to 1d6 plus your Strength modifier, or a d8 if you aren't holding weapons or a shield.
Alternatively, you can choose to learn two Cleric 5e cantrips, which count as Paladin spells for you and can be cast with Charisma as your spellcasting modifier. Plus, you can swap one of these cantrips whenever you gain a Paladin level.

Paladin's Smite
Level: Two
You always have the Divine Smite spell prepared, and you can cast it without a spell slot once per long rest. This spell is a type of smite that deals an extra 2d8 radiant damage to the target. It can be upcast to add additional d8s, and the damage automatically increases by 1d8 if your target is a Fiend or an Undead.
Channel Divinity
Level: Three
Channel Divinity is a unique resource that can be spent to fuel various Paladin abilities. At level three, you can use Channel Divinity twice. You regain one use of it on a short rest and all uses on a long rest. From level 11, you get three uses.
Each of the DnD Paladin subclasses has different ways to spend Channel Divinity uses, but all of them have access to Divine Sense. This bonus action tells you the location of any Celestials, Fiends, or Undead within 60 feet for 10 minutes. You can also detect consecrated or desecrated objects within the same radius.
Paladin subclass
Level: Three
A range of Paladin subclasses change your powers and playstyle from level three. We'll cover these in more detail shortly.

Ability Score Improvement
Level: Four
Choose one of the following:
- +1 to two DnD stats
- +2 to one stat
- A feat
You gain this feature again at levels eight, 12, and 16.
Extra Attack
Level: Five
When you take an attack action on your turn, you can now attack twice instead of once.
Faithful Steed
Level: Five
You now always have Find Speed prepared, and you can cast it without using a spell slot once per long rest.
Aura of Protection
Level: Six
You are always surrounded by a 10-foot emanation that remains active as long as you aren't incapacitated. The aura gives you and allies inside of it a bonus to saving throws equal to your Charisma modifier.

Abjure Foes
Level: Nine
As an action, you can spend a use of Channel Divinity and target creatures equal to your Charisma modifier that you can see within 60 feet. They must make a Wisdom save, becoming frightened for one minute on a failure.
A frightened target can only do one of the following on their turn: move, use an action, or use a bonus action. The condition ends early if the target takes damage.
Aura of Courage
Level: 10
This makes you and your friends immune to the frightened condition while inside your Aura of Protection. Additionally, someone who is already frightened temporarily loses the condition when they enter your aura.
Radiant Strikes
Level: 11
When you successfully hit with a melee weapon or unarmed strike, you deal 1d8 additional radiant damage.

Restoring Touch
Level: 14
You can now spend five HP from your Lay on Hands Pool to end one of the following conditions (instead of restoring HP):
- Blinded
- Charmed
- Deafened
- Frightened
- Paralyzed
- Stunned
Aura Expansion
Level: 18
Your Aura of Protection is now a 30-foot emanation.
Epic Boon
Level: 19
You choose an epic boon or any other feat you qualify for from the feats list.

Paladin subclasses
Oath of Devotion
Found in: 2024 Player's Handbook
The standard Paladin incarnation, the Oath of Devotion 5e subclass is the closest to a knight in shining armor that you're likely to get within D&D; all gracious chivalry, angelic righteousness, and honorable justice in service of the DnD gods.
Your Devotion Paladin spell list focuses on your support role, with options such as Shield of Faith, Aid, Dispel Magic, and Guardian of Faith. Level-three Devotion Paladins also gain Sacred Weapon, a new Channel Divinity option. When you make an attack, you can spend a use of Channel Divinity to add your Charisma modifier to attack rolls made with a weapon of your choice. Successful attacks with that weapon can deal radiant damage or its normal DnD damage type.
At level seven, you gain an Aura of Devotion which means you and allies inside the aura are immune to the charmed condition. If someone enters the aura while charmed, they are unaffected while inside of it.
Smite of Protection is a level-15 ability that gives you and allies in your Aura of Protection half cover whenever you cast Divine Smite. These benefits last until the start of your next turn.
Finally, at level 20, Holy Nimbus turns your Aura of Protection into a way to deal radiant damage to enemies inside of it. It also grants you extra protection on saves against fiends and undead - classic Paladin.

Oath of Glory
Found in: 2024 Player's Handbook
Heroism and bravery, mixed with a sense of camaraderie and passion for bodybuilding, the Oath of Glory 5e subclass is about buffing the physical abilities of you and your party, both offensively and defensively.
The always-prepared spell list offers some excellent options, from Guiding Bolt to Haste. Their level-three Channel Divinity option is Peerless Athlete, which means you can spend a bonus action and one use of your Channel Divinity to gain advantage on Athletics and Acrobatics checks. Your long and high jumps also increase by 10 feet, adding some extra mobility.
That agility is a key part of the subclass, as the level-seven Aura of Alacrity increases your speed by 10 feet, and allies who enter your Aura of Protection or start their turn there get a 10-foot speed increase until the end of their next turn. Adding further defensive options, the level-15 Glorious Defense ability means that, when you or a creature you can see within 10 feet are hit by an attack roll, you can spend a reaction to add a bonus (equal to your Charisma modifier) to the defender's armor class. If the attack misses, you then get to make a weapon attack against the attacker as part of the same reaction.
Lastly, the Living Legend capstone gives your Paladin advantage on all Charisma checks, plus the ability to reroll a failed save or cause a missed attack to hit, for 10 minutes. The Oath of Glory Paladins chase success, and they often find it.

Oath of the Ancients
Found in: 2024 Player's Handbook
Ambitious and portentous, Paladins of the Oath of the Ancients 5e subclass throw themselves into the cosmic struggle of light versus dark, receiving some splendid Druid 5e-like powers to show for it.
Much of their spell list focuses on restraining enemies, immobilizing while boosting your own mobility and damage potential. Ensnaring Strike, Misty Step, and Moonbeam are our personal standouts. Plus, their Nature's Wrath Channel Divinity option lets you create ghostly vines as an action, which restrain creatures who fail their Strength save for up to one minute.
Aura of Warding gives you and your pals resistance to necrotic, psychic, and radiant damage while you're in your Aura of Protection. At level 15, Undying Sentinel means you drop to one hit point when you reach zero HP but aren't instantly killed. You then gain HP equal to three times your Paladin level.
Finally, at level 20, you gain the bonus action Elder Champion. This gives your Aura of Protection extra benefits for 10 minutes, including 10 HP at the start of each of your turns, disadvantage on saving throws against you for enemies in the aura, and (our favorite) the ability to cast spells that cost an action as a bonus action.

Oath of Vengeance
Found in: 2024 Player's Handbook
When violent retribution is the order of the day, the Oath of Vengeance 5e subclass stands tall above the rest. Headstrong, and worryingly keen to hand out justice in the form of vicious attacks, it suits simple offensive builds that forgo protective tactics in favor of quick melee kills.
Its class features and spell list focuses on debuffing enemies, while buffing your own abilities to set up the perfect strike. In a similar vein, Vow of Enmity means that, from level three, when you make an attack action, you can spend Channel Divinity to give yourself advantage on attack rolls against a creature you can see within 30 feet.
From level seven, Relentless Avenger lets you reduce a target's speed to zero when you make a successful opportunity attack against them. You can then immediately move up to half your speed without provoking opportunity attacks. Plus, at level 15, Soul of Vengeance lets you spend a reaction to make a melee attack against a creature targeted by your Vow of Enmity when they make an attack roll.
Finally, at level 20, you become the ultimate Avenging Angel. For 10 minutes, you gain a fly speed of 60ft, and enemies who enter your Aura of Protection must pass a Wisdom save or become frightened.

Oath of Conquest
Found in: Xanathar's Guide to Everything
Glory in battle and total domination of the enemy are the hallmarks of the Oath of Conquest 5e subclass, and its array of crowd control abilities lend it nicely to large encounters. Wade boldly through multiple foes, and strike down swarms of smaller enemies as you go.
This oath really shines through its features. Although both its Channel Divinity options are formidable, try combining Conquering Presence, which frightens a creature for one minute, with seventh-level Aura of Conquest, which incapacitates and damages all frightened enemies within a 10-foot radius, for easy kills.
Mix in the Fear spell at ninth level, letting you frighten every creature in a 30-foot radius on a failed Wisdom saving throw, and you've got a powerhouse of attrition.
Leveraging collective fear in your enemies is very much the focus of this subclass, but even the Armour of Agathys spell you get at third level, which grants five additional HP, and Spiritual Weapon - which at fifth level creates a floating weapon to freely move and attack enemies - will make you useful outside of swarm encounters.

Oath of Redemption
Found in: Xanathar's Guide to Everything
Probably the most unusual of all the Paladin subclasses, those who take the Oath of Redemption 5e are pacifists at heart, begrudgingly pursuing conflict only when all non-violent options have been exhausted. It makes for a fantastic, spell-focused support character, better suited to helping others and dissuading enemies from attacking, than to bonking things on the head.
Its third-level Emissary of Peace Channel Divinity option lets you effectively discourage violence, granting yourself a +5 Persuasion bonus. But even when the fists inevitably come out, you won't be left on the sidelines. Seventh-level Aura of the Guardian lets you take damage instead of any creature within 10 feet, and can be combined with Protective Spirit at level 15 to heal 1d6 + half your Paladin level mid-combat.
At ninth level, Counterspell 5e can block incoming magic targeting you or your party. The Oath of Redemption subclass is not only a thematically fun choice, but one of persistent utility.

Oath of the Crown
Found in: Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide
Exemplary lawful warriors who fight for the preservation of natural, divine order, those who take the Oath of the Crown 5e excel as party defenders and tanks. Soak up enemy attacks directed towards your compatriots for the sake of your less-armored allies.
At level three, Champion Challenge lets Paladins prevent all creatures within a 30-foot radius from moving away from them - particularly useful to keep enemies where you want them, in open areas, as well as preventing them dashing towards your squishier party members. On reaching level seven, Divine Allegiance lets you use your reaction to substitute your own HP for that of any ally within a five-foot radius.
And this oath's spell list is a trove of treasures. Aura of Vitality will have you healing individual party members for 2d6 HP, including yourself. Act as a meat shield in combat, and revitalize yourself after the blows have stopped. Oath of the Crown is a subclass that can easily act as the linchpin of an entire front line.

Oath of the Watchers
Found in: Tasha's Cauldron of Everything
Another strongly thematic, but very narrow subclass, those who take the Oath of the Watchers 5e dedicate themselves to warding off extraplanar threats. If the campaign you're playing is likely to sweep you across the planes, or bring you face-to-face with otherworldly DnD monsters, then this subclass will be of great use. Otherwise, much of its glorious potential will be wasted.
Their third-level Watcher's Will feature grants advantage on Int, Wis, and Cha saving throws for a number of creatures equal to your Charisma modifier. It's nicely scalable, and a particularly useful defense against the mind-bending effects of outerplanar creatures. At level seven, Aura of the Sentinel boosts the initiative of all party members within a ten-foot radius, which comes in particularly handy when you want to run down an enemy's HP at lightning speed.
Early-level spells, including Detect Magic and Alarm, are solid, if unremarkable, but higher-level abilities give fantastic magic resistance and debuffs. Make sure to invest heavily in Cha to get the most out of this magic-oriented subclass.

Oathbreaker
Found in: 2014 Dungeon Master's Guide
A fallen Paladin who has broken their code, they question their beliefs - but retain a strength of conviction. Darkness has crept into their mind, contorting their faith and estranging them from the divinity they once espoused. This twist on the classic Paladin formula translates into a suite of aberrant abilities that center on high damage, and the undead.
The best Channel Divinity option is Dreadful Aspect, frightening all creatures within a 30-foot radius. The alternative, Control Undead, lets you bring any undead creature under your mental control.
But if you'll be playing your Paladin for a while, it's made a little redundant by the spell Animate Dead at ninth level, letting you summon an undead servant. If nothing else, these starter-necromancy spells are fun to play around with.
At level 15, Supernatural Resistance grants permanent protection from bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage dealt by non-magical weapons, seriously boosting your defenses. Later on, higher-level spells like Blight and Contagion can really help you pile on damage. If you're looking for a melee-focused, damage-competent subclass that fits with darker Paladin roleplay, Oathbreaker 5e is the clear choice.

Oath of the Open Sea
Found in: Critical Role content
Clerics sworn to the Oath of the Open Sea 5e are free-spirited adventurers, and monster hunters who fight back against the dread beasts that stalk the deep. Their spell list is attuned to wind, water, and freedom of movement, and they're capable of controlling the flow of battle like the gods of the ocean controlling the waves.
The two Channel Divinity options have potent combat control effects. Marine Layer generates a dense fog that you (and creatures within five feet) are able to see through, but which obscures your opponents' vision. Fury of the Tides allows you to throw back any enemy you strike by 10′, enough to push them off the side of a boat (or a cliff!).
At seventh level, Aura of Liberation makes you and nearby allies immune to being grappled and restrained, as well as freeing you up to move without penalty underwater. The 15th level Stormy Waters is a useful reaction ability that allows you to inflict damage on enemies that enter your reach, and potentially knock them prone - this and Marine Layer are good excuses to fight with a Reach weapon.

Best Paladin stats
As the Paladin is a Multiple Ability Score Dependent (MAD) class, there is some debate about the best Paladin stats. Some argue that, since many of your class features and spells are powered by Charisma, this should be prioritized above all. Others point out that a Paladin's most important job is smiting on the frontlines, so Strength trumps Charisma.
Your most important Paladin stat will, at the end of the day, depend on the type of Paladin you want to build.
Strength
If you're planning to smite often and smite hard, this is your most important stat. The only real perk of a high Strength score is combat success, but that's a hell of a benefit if you plan to be your party's primary Striker. Paladins have fewer spells to rely on than full casters, but Strength will never let you down.
Charisma
A Paladin can play many roles, and most of them rely on a strong Charisma score. If you want to use your spellcasting to support and defend your party, you'll need Charisma. If you want to play party Face and take the lead in social situations, that's Charisma. Smiting may not rely on Charisma, but your cantrips and other spells certainly do, so prioritize this if these are a big part of your play style.
Constitution
Your tertiary priority is always going to be Constitution, because this is the stat that keeps you alive. Your HP maximum and concentration on spells rely on a sturdy Con stat, so it's always a safe bet to buff.
That being said, we wouldn't prioritize it over Strength and/or Charisma. Paladins are blessed with heavy armor proficiency so, in theory, they're hardy enough to take hits even if Constitution isn't their top scorer.
Wisdom
Ideally, a Paladin's Wisdom score should be decent but not fantastic. It gives you some protection against the most popular saving throw inflicted by spellcasters, and it fuels crucial skills like Perception. However, most Paladins can scrape by without dedicating much time to Wisdom-based talents.
Dexterity
Dexterity is another nice-to-have, but it's far from essential. Your armor class is already fairly high if you're wearing heavy armor. Speaking of, said armor already puts you at a disadvantage when trying to use Stealth, so why bother boosting the stat that fuels that skill?
Intelligence
No Paladin needs to be an expert on Intelligence-based skills, and the saves are far and few between. This is the stat that it's safest to ignore completely.

Best Paladin races
D&D's modern, stat-less species are extremely versatile, so you're free to choose whatever ancestry you like the sound of best. However, from a purely optimizing point of view, we have a few opinions on the best Paladin races:
Dragonborn
A Dragonborn is an appealing choice for any Striker class, as their Breath Weapon gives them a way to handle crowds (something they're usually not so great at). Being able to spew a cone or line of elemental energy is sure to wipe out a horde of grunts - or at least encourage them to back off a bit.
This species also comes with Darkvision and resistance to a damage type of your choice. Both of these are solid benefits for any D&D character. Plus, from level five, you can sprout wings and fly about for 10 minutes, which grants your tank-y frontliner some extra maneuverability.
Dwarf
A Dwarf doesn't offer anything essential to a Paladin build, but it does grant several reliable perks. Darkvision is useful for everyone, as is resistance to poison, one of the more common damage types you'll encounter. Plus, Stonecunning can be a clever way to sense enemies you can't necessarily see.
The big appeal for a Paladin will be Dwarven Toughness, which ups your character's HP max by one and does so again with every level up. That will help mitigate those circumstances where you don't have many points to spare for your Constitution score.
Elf
An Elf has many talents, including standard Darkvision and the less-standard advantage on saves against the Charmed condition. They also go into trances rather than sleep, and they have proficiency in Insight, Perception, and Survival - all neat skills that might have missed the Paladin's skill list on the first round of character creation.
More importantly, playing an Elf gives your Paladin access to more spells than usual. The Elven Lineages give you three options to choose from. All spell lists are strong, but we're particularly fond of the Wood Elf's increased speed and eventual access to Pass Without Trace - a spell that can bypass your Paladin's natural ineptness at Stealth.
Gnome
Gnomes are better known as tinkerers, but they can make durable Paladins with the right stats. This species offers the standard Darkvision, as well as a few handy utility spells to bulk out your limited spell list.
Rock Gnomes can also create tiny toys that emulate the basic effects of Prestidigitation. This isn't much more than a cute party trick unless you can get really creative with it, though.
Instead of this, the main appeal of a Gnome Paladin is the fact that they have advantage on Wisdom, Intelligence, and Charisma saving throws. That makes them well-protected against magic and more likely to maintain concentration on spells.
Goliath
Goliaths have become the go-to for martial-focused character builds, and that reputation is well-deserved. They have an above-average speed of 35 feet, advantage on checks against being grappled, and the power to become Large to further increase their speed and success on Strength checks.
Perhaps their most impressive feature is Giant Ancestry, which grants you one of six special abilities. These range from teleportation to damage reduction, dealing extra damage to inflicting debuffs on your foe. This choice makes the Goliath an immensely versatile species, and whichever ancestry you choose, your Paladin will be better in battle for it.

Best Paladin backgrounds
There are plenty of suitable backgrounds for a Paladin, so prioritize the scores, skills, and feats that suit your character concept most:
Charlatan
This background covers your Charisma and Constitution buffs, and Skilled guarantees some out-of-combat utility. Deception is a more useful skill for the party Face than Sleight of Hand, but you can't have everything.
Entertainer
Strength and Charisma are covered by this background, and Musician is an excellent feat for buffing your allies on a regular basis. Acrobatics and Performance are decent skill proficiencies, though your Dex score might not be high enough to appreciate the first one.
Farmer
Choose this background if you want to build the sturdiest Paladin possible. You'll buff Strength and Constitution, and the Tough feat bulks out your overall hit points. Animal Handling and Nature are way out of your Paladin's wheelhouse, but some unoptimized skill proficiencies can be worth knowing you'll be safe on the front lines.
Merchant
The Merchant's Lucky feat makes any character build better, so it's as safe a bet for a Paladin as it is for any other class. Plus, this background comes with a Constitution and Charisma increase, as well as proficiency in your old pal Persuasion. That Animal Handling proficiency is more situational, but it doesn't spoil the rest of the background.
Noble
If you like the Charlatan's Skilled feat but want to focus on different ability scores, the Noble has you covered. This boosts Strength and Charisma, and it comes with a lovely Persuasion proficiency (plus a less lovely History proficiency).
Soldier
A buff to Strength and Constitution, plus skill proficiencies that are perfect for a Paladin, make the Solider extremely appealing. Savage Attacker is also an excellent way to improve the damage your smites deal at low levels.

Best Paladin spells
When picking Paladin 5e spells, bear two things in mind: Concentration and Charisma. Many of your spells will require Concentration, and therefore be of little use if you're charging to the frontline of a fray to soak up enemy hits unless you have a high Constitution score. You can also only maintain one concentration spell at a time.
Similarly, the higher your Charisma modifier, the more juice you'll get from your spellcasting abilities. Your Cha modifier dictates how many spells you may prepare after each long rest and, in several cases, their effectiveness.
Some of the best Paladin spells are:
Cantrips
- Toll the Dead - Solid damage for a low-level Paladin (or one that's simply out of spell slots).
- Word of Radiance - An excellent way to deal damage to crowds.
- Sacred Flame - An excellent source of single-target damage if you think your quarry is likely to pass the Wisdom save of Toll of the Dead.
Level one
- Shield of Faith - A bonus action that buffs your armor class (or a friend's) is an excellent defensive move.
- Cure Wounds - You can already rely on Lay on Hands for healing, but this is an effective back-up.
- Divine Smite - Your go-to smite for pure damage, though it doesn't offer the strategic benefits of other smites.
- Thunderous Smite - Strength saves aren't too common for enemies to pass, and this smite offers both forced movement and advantage on future melee attacks.
- Bless - A handy boost for you and a few friends, which comes in very handy during low-level combat.
- Compelled Duel - An excellent way for you to Tank damage and preserve the health of your squishier allies.
Level two
- Find Steed - Summon a loyal animal to serve as a mount, pack mule, or battle buddy. Excellent utility and it lasts until your steed reaches zero HP.
- Lesser Restoration - If there's no healer in your party, the team will thank you for picking this one up.
- Warding Bond - You're likely the toughest member of your adventuring team, so taking extra hits is worth the trade-off of halving the damage dealt to a weaker friend.
Level three
- Revivify - Instant resurrection powers are essential in those situations where someone actually dies. Just be sure to have the material components on hand.
- Dispel Magic - Anyone who can disrupt an enemy's magical effects should absolutely do so.
Level four
- Death Ward - Another powerful way to prevent a death in the party. Its eight-hour duration makes it tremendously flexible.
Level five
- Destructive Wave - 5d6 plus 5d6 damage is extremely appealing for a class that occasionally struggles to deal area-of-effect damage.
- Banishing Smite - This combines your standard smiting powers with the effects of the truly excellent Banishment spell, making it a must-have.
- Raise Dead - For those days when you just can't Revivify fast enough.
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