Paladin Guide for Dungeons and Dragons 5e

We’ll cover everything you need to know to create your Paladin. We’ll help you choose the your sacred oath, skills, ability scores, spells, and other build options to prepare your paladin to fight with honor and justice. We’ll also look at famous examples of paladins from history, movies, television shows, and more to inspire your next character, and as well as roleplaying ideas to help develop your Paladin’s oath, background, and personality.

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[DungeonDudes]

We didn't forget that Paladins take their name from the legendary Companions of Charlemagne, but somehow our discussion didn't make it into the final cut. Regardless, we'd love to know what Paladins inspire you!

[williamjenkins]

A vengeance paladin dramatically saying his oath while entering combat?

"Hello, my name is Inigo Montoya, you killed my father, prepare to die.
"

[deadmanmouse]

Paladins actually make great characters to get newbies to role play. The oath gives them a great starting point for being someone else for a few hours.

[cass]

My favorite Paladin oath is used in Dragonheart:
"A knight is sworn to valour,
His heart knows only virtue,
His blade defends the helpless,
His might upholds the weak,
His word speaks only truth,
His wrath undoes the wicked."

[muninrob]

"My Name is Don Quixote, you killed my windmill, prepare to die."
*jumps on rocking horse & points broomstick at villain*

[talongreenlee]

My favorite off-brand Paladin was in a futuristic one shot. His oath? “Neither rain, nor sleet, nor dark of night shall stay these couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds.” He was basically the postman from The Postman.

[Clockmann]

Scar from Fullmetal Alchemist is the best description of a vengeance paladin I’ve ever seen.

[NachoBran_CandyCabbage]

On the topic of a paladin's oath and ideals conflicting with other player's RPing, I think that it can be intrusive if done without a reason beyond 'because I'm the paladin', but it can be made into a powerful storytelling tool. It's probably best to coordinate it with other players during session 0 or discuss it during a break with the players and DM. I have seen one really good example of this during one of my games with a half elf oath of the ancients paladin and a halfling thief rogue.
It started when the paladin (named Anne) witnesses the thief (named Goose) stealing something from a nobleman that was employing them (he had been stealing small items around the house for the whole conversation). Anne decided to keep quiet about it so the party wouldn't loose the contract. She decided that she would confront the Goose about it after he excused himself from the group to 'take care of something important'. The rest of us opted to go to the local market and stock up for the adventure ahead (basic exploration and dungeon delving) leading to some rp haggling before the attention was switched to the paladin and rogue. Anne followed Goose through a few dark alleys and crowds as he deftly navigated the city landscape. Though he was definitely aware that the ungraceful chainmail-clad woman was following him, goose eventually made it to his destination: a homeless shelter in the poor part of town.
After witnessing him giving the stolen items to the people inside to trade and use, she finally confronted him and in a longer rp conversation it was revealed that he used to live in a homeless shelter. At the end of the conversation Anne came to the conclusion that him giving to the poorer folk was in line with her oath's tenant of 'be the light' and decided to help him distribute the items to the people in the shelter. After using her lay on hands ability to cleanse some people of their sickness, the two became best friends and all of us commended them on the excellent storytelling. They revealed that they actually coordinated the encounter with the DM and it really changed my mind on how I see coordinated RP in tabletop games as oppose to spontaneous RP.

[illoney]

So, basically Darth Vader is a death knight? Never though about that but now that you mentioned it, he was a righteous swordsman with magic powers who got corrupted by evil powers and fell from grace. That does fit a death knight pretty damn well.

[unknownvalor]

Welcome to the Paladin Lantern Corp, here's your ring....errr shield.

[jeovasanctusunus]

I started off as a paladin with a greatsword, and before getting to choose my fighting style, my paladin was... greatly humbled, lost a party member, even loosing the Greatsword he inhertited from his Father.
And thus, he took up a shield and Sword, swore to -impose disadvantage- protect his allies against anyone that would attack them.

[drizztiley]

Remember Paladins

Be Lawful Good, not Lawful Stupid

[xoxogossipgirlts]

I’m about to start a campaign with my older brother and I’ll be playing as a Black Dragonborn paladin bounty hunter with the oath of vengeance. I’m excited! 😀

[raymondbecker]

Hmmm. Suggesting a paladin that says his oath as he runs into battle... and we have "Green Knights" as one name for paladin... >.>

"Through brightest day and darkest night,
No evil shall escape my sight,
Let those who worship evil's might,
Fear my power, Green Knight's smite!"

[mattspaar]

My son and I just got started in d&d and the party didn't have a healer. I made a paladin out of necessity and can't imagine play a different class now.

[Metalhammer]

The rogue and the paladin is pretty much "we're going to rule the world!" "With cookies". They are an awesome and powerful combination but keep the worst of each other in check. The rogue steps on the foot of the paladin if he forgets their goals in zealous rage and the paladin pretty much lifts the rogue up and shakes out all the stolen stuff, if the rogue gets too reliant on his five finger discount.(but i actually saw a paladin asking a rogue for same discount as well. It was the sword of our paladins mentor that was for sale, and it was literally dug out of his mentors grave. It took the rogue, the cleric and the barbarian (literally throwing himself on the paladin instead of reasoning with him.) to stop the paladin from just waltzing in there, smashing the display and shove the sword up the salesman's butt. After our paladin calmed down a little he "hired" our rogue to steal the sword. It was a pretty powerful sword.+2 and 1d4 cold damage. Unfortunately we had to return it to the grave. It was one of the greater sidequests we had)

[MultiracialLion]

You know, up until I watched this video, the paladin was the class I felt I was LEAST likely to play. Like...ever. Yet here I am, once again, getting excited at the prospect of playing a class I would normally have no interest in, just like the druid and barbarian. Thanks, guys! :D

[drakeford]

I really love Conquest Paladins, and specifically how they reflect on Vengeance Paladins.

Where as the Vengeance Oath is ment to avenge and right the world's various wrongs, the Conquest Oath is about preventing those wrongs in the first place.

For example, I often see Batman referenced as a good archetype for the Vengeance mindset, but I think he much closer resembles that of good aligned Conquest Palidan. It's all about being so frightening that average Evil looks out its window and decides it would rather just stay in bed for the day.

Of course we all know that Batman is really just history's greatest multi-classer, but the point stands.

[OakenTome]

That intro was amazing. It sounded super spooky (like 2 Vaders or somethin') about halfway through, then at the end you just jump into the proper intro. Can't wait for the next class guide!

[cyraxr]

A character that screams paladin to me is She-Ra sister to He-Man. She is almost text book Oath of Ancients Paladin with her ability to speak with animals and her oath "For the Honor of Grayskull!" Also she has the lay on hands ability of a paladin.